Memoirs of a Phantom
by skylover4life
Summary: "...In order to gain you must first loose something in exchange. Leave behind the life you once cherished and reawaken as another. What say you? Will you bear the facade of the Chariot...Trickster?" —[Butterfly Effect AU—Reincarnation/OC.]
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Chapter One:** **Prologue**

 **Diary Entry Date: 11/19**

* * *

Everything was set in motion, after weeks of planning we had finally come to this very moment. With practiced ease I maneuvered through the chandeliers. I could feel sweat building up in my gloved palms as I began noticing countless armed men enter through the lobby. Their numbers were massive and I was convinced the entire Tokyo federal investigation bureau was present.

"...Those aren't Shadows." I worded bitterly.

We had since split into smaller groups by now and it wasn't short of a miracle that the others hadn't gone through any major issues on their part. Oracle had been adamant about guiding their leader through the casino's layout and as a fellow Phantom Thief I had no choice but to follow in everyone's example. —I would have to toss aside my emotional attachment and follow through with the plan.

 _He would have to be left behind._

As much as it pained me to see him go, I knew I had enough faith in his abilities to keep himself alive. He was more than capable of turning the odds in his favor and it was foolish of me to even garner an ounce of doubt. The risk of loosing him to the upcoming threats seemed to bear heavily against my chest. His promises were like a mantra in my head that seemed to urge my movements with each step.

I silently wondered weather or not Joker had a gambling problem. The consensus had to agree.

 _He really did have the spirit of a gambler._

My earpiece rang to life as the voice of my concerned comrades filled my ears."Where are the twins?" Asked Queen in a panic. I searched for their spiritual signatures and from my location I could tell she and the other thieves were a bit far off from Where Skull and I had marked our escape. I had his knee to worry about and the cognitive ideas based on twins was not helping.

"Didn't you hear? We decided to head on an evening stroll! Care to join?" Skull answered sardonically, his voice was cracking over the earpiece through his labored breath and— I could practically feel the bickering that was about to ensue.

"Piss off Skull! This is so no time for jokes!" Panther hissed venomously. The two spat back and forth as we crawled through a ventilation shaft.

 _Good grief, these two sound like an old married couple..._

"What was that?" Ryuji growled beside me clearly reading my thoughts.

"Skull and Raven be careful! There are a few grunts headed your way! Make like a leaf and get outta' there!"

" _Roger Oracle_." I was already accustomed to Skull and Panther's bickering, so it was all too easy to tune them out from the rest of the world at this point. "Please, Ignore him for now. _For the record we a not too far behind you_ —I can see you up ahead." I said trying to diffuse some tension.

Not that it really did. The anxiety and panic was so thick you could slice it.

"I agree," added Fox. "Bickering among each other at this time is unnecessary. There are more pressing matters at the moment!"

I wiggled and rolled on to the floor escaping the small prisoned space. Skull followed suit and used my shoulder as support as we crouched behind a large steel laundry bin.—I had tuned out of what Mona and Noir had been saying at the moment and after getting the clear of passage via Oracle's signal we made our way to the group.

"How are you holding up Joker?" I asked after not hearing anything from his end. Not that it wasn't unusual for our quiet leader to prefer listening, but this situation made me even more anxious with every passing second as it lacked a response from his end.

After a few crackles, rushed footsteps and the sound of silence followed. After a few more seconds drew by I was seriously starting to considering the worst had happened.

" _Amazing as always,"_ He voiced with disdain lacing his voice. "I might actually need a bit of motivation to lift my spirits." He sounded a bit out of breath and that was to be expected, fighting Sae's shadow had been no easy feat. I furrowed a brow knowing what he meant by those words.

He was always the sly dork I had come to adore.

"Oh, not that again. To think he still has the audacity to still ask for that. " Muttered Mona still a little perturbed about Joker's antics. —Apparently Shinya, Oda had left him craving to be called Senpai once more.

I allowed myself a smile and spoke into the earpiece. What harm would humoring him once more do? Chances were I wouldn't be able to see those gunmetal gray eyes in quite some time. "Very well... _Senpai_ if you buy me a crepe after this whole fiasco is over I'll even call you Nana' for all I care. _Anything you want great leader._ " I negotiated breathlessly. I could feel a warm chuckle rang delightfully in my ears and it took everything I had to not loose myself in it.

Skull's eyes seemed to warm at the gesture, but he jockingly made a gagging noise at the thought of such a girly dessert. Joker wasn't a fan of sweets either so I wasn't really expecting anything to come of it other than a rejection in the form of a quip.

" _Deal._ "

"Hey, thought you hated sweets bro?" Skull asked a little miffed. No way in hell were those two singling him out.

"I don't recall ever saying that." He replied before hearing his heals clack as he climbed a set of steps.

"Lies! I say!" Oracle intervened. "He hates adding sugar to his coffee! He cannot be trusted!"

"That's a misconception. Sakura-San does not take too kindly to added content to his premium roast coffee. _It's rather insulting to him_." Joker answered earnestly.

"Blergh! His level of Kindness makes me sick...! If he were in in game character he'd be a saint! Why, I add cream and sugar in it all the time—Oh wait! In coming! You've got a High level shadow coming your way! Can you handle it?

" _Leave it to me_." He announced with confidence radiating from his core.

I could practically feel the walls tremble as what I assumed Joker's Persona throwing hard hitters at whatever the hell he had been fending off. We were quite a distance away but I could almost feel his presence become more potent. We opened a hatch and were both greeted by the remains members of our group.

"Raven! Skull!" Panther exclaimed as she drew me into a hug. When she pulled away she looked at me with a soft teary smile.

I looked around and saw we were one member short apart from our leader.

 _'Traitor confirmed...' I thought resentfully._

 _'You know, I never really liked that fucker.' Ryuji hissed mentally._

"No way, these numbers!" Oracle exclaimed.

" _Joker...!_ " I could a heavy weight as the other members audibly gasped and told him to make a break for it. We were all gathered by Oracle in time to see our leader get knocked from the terrace ladder and into a sea of armed officers.

The signal had ended abruptly and we were met with static via video feed. Oracle quietly cut it off and we stayed frozen unable to speak. "He must have crushed the earpiece before stepping on to the terrace ladder. For being as reckless as he is.. _.he's extremely cautious.._."

"As expected of someone of his caliber— _Let's make our escape now._ We can't dwell any longer. Joker is counting on us as well!" Announced Mona as we all nodded and began heading out.

" _I agree_ ," Queen added. "We should take the backup route ti the material world. I know it will be a difficult time for all of us...but it will be all for nothing if Joker's sacrifice is in vain." In Queen's hand was the real briefcase. Sae's treasure was secured.

"No doubt that bastard has police waiting at the end of our usual entry point. that backstabbing traitor thinks he's so smart." Growled Skull vengefully.

"Indeed. He hasn't the smallest clue what we all have in store for him. We will pay him back ten-fold for crossing us and attempting to take our comrade from us." Fox along with each of us had our eyes forward. I felt the heat of anger and rage bubbly at the pit of my stomach. The adrenaline that had once faded had shot through my veins.

 _Just you wait Crow ,_ _if you so much as lay a finger on him...you will forever remember the name Ryoko. I swear it._

"We will get our moment to show him everyone— _He'll never see it coming_."


	2. Chapter 2: Plea Bargain

**Chapter Two : The Plea Bargain**

* * *

If I had to give anyone an award for anything it would have to my Mother and my Brother I have no idea how long they had to comfort me from my night terrors after I came home after my release from the hospital —I don't even remember having experienced something like this before, I could only assume it had to do with the way my past life had ended.

Yes, I believe I had lived and entirely different life up until recently. I used to have another name, another face...and lately I've been having these dreams that cannot be explained by any normal means...

—In those dreams the agony I experience is always the same. My flesh repeatedly searing against molten-hot glass that littered the asphalt. The petrifying lack of sensation from my pelvis down to my feet shakes me to the core even now.

It took all, but two seconds to turn my world into cinder. The mass collision was unavoidable and I felt the wave of dread run through my body. I sped through the lane and I knew the moment the upcoming truck swerved uncontrollably that I would be clipped.

 _'I was going to meet this thing head on...'_ I thought inwardly with a sense of dread.

—I did as anyone did, I panicked. My foot practically rammed the brake pedal and when both cars into contact I felt the thunderous force behind the impact. I must have lost consciousness as my Honda Accord flipped through the road. I found myself upside-down hanging and practically chocking on my seat-belt. Through some sort of determination on my part I unbuckled the belt and practically dragged myself from the vehicle. My eyes welled as I felt the lack of sensation below my pelvic area. The glass in the asphalt was blistering and the stray pieces burned my exposed flesh.

 _Nobody talks about how quiet the road gets after traffic stops moving. Even through the pain I was able to comprehend that there no hope in salvation._

 _This is it._

How many people have shared the same thoughts as I had been having at that moment?

 _"Your time has finally come_ " Mocked the small voice in the back of my head. The sound of it comparable to that of a child speaking through the ripples of a pond. It sounded unnatural and seemingly distorted. Fro whatever reason I believed the angel of death was coming for me.

 _'No. It can't...Not like this. I have so much ahead of my life...what about my family...my friends?'_

I could almost feel my the voice scoff at such a statement. " _Life is no fairy tale. Wishes are never granted. What makes you so different from the rest? You have nothing to contribute to the world."_

 _'Well...Maybe...Just-maybe if I had the power to do so, I would do more than just that. If only I were strong enough to prove it...'_ My thoughts trailed to a the faces of those I loved the most. The idea of how distraught my Mother would be and how it would drown my Father was haunting.—My Father would be left a burning man, his duty to keep the family together as a pillar of strength would slowly kill him.

 _'I'd do whatever it takes to prove it to you. Did I not deserve that level of happiness once in my life?'_

 _"Ridiculous,"_ The voice said dripping with irritation. _"You sound so desperate just like the rest! If there is a God then wouldn't dying and going to the heavens be proof that you've fulfilled your duty?"_

' _Then shouldn't I had deserved a better life while doing so? Why must a life be filled with ruin and sadness if we live to serve a higher power? Why did I not have a fair chance to live out my life and find my own happiness in doing so?!'_

 _"You sound so selfish. Why is always about you?" The voice growled before a memory of my family filled my thoughts. The voice hummed as if responding to the mental image._ _"The money the receive from your death would ultimately relieve the monetary debt they have. They would be well off without you."_

 _'Luxuries will always be secondary at best. Money is not important when you have people who will always love you.' The voice said nothing in reply and I could somehow feel its presence beside me._

 _'I-I just wanted to live a life where I could meet someone special and have kids...Have a decent job and grow old together. Anything like money would always come after...That's all I wanted. But the world and so many people can be cruel...The person who clipped my car...sped off..Not enough time for me to catch the plate number...I was left to die alone and only pain became my friend in the chaos...'_

" _What a shame_." The voice said sympathetically. " _So you only desired an average level of happiness?'"_

 _'Of course...but that doesn't matter now doesn't it? I'm dying._ '— _Or maybe, I've already been dead._

The voice stayed quiet. My pain had long since faded. Only leaving the cold solitude of darkness and my thoughts to keep my soul company.

I wondered if I had ended up in purgatory. I probably should have kept going to church then. There was still the thought back in my mind one religion had to be right. I just hoped it wasn't the Mormons. I hadn't worn a knee long skirt since kindergarten.

" _Wake up. It's time._ " It finally said.

The words held some ungodly power, like a jolt burning trough copper I felt my eyes open in a feral panic. A cold feeling washed over my body and I tried to in vain lift myself off of the floor. The texture beneath my fingertips was cool and my head throbbed as a wave of vertigo nearly knocked me back down. I could vaguely make out the blobs of other people in my vision.

I rose up with a groan my head still pounding. When I was able to look around I found myself standing on a round platform completely comprised of intricate glowing stained-glass forming into a beautiful picture. I think it was called a mosaic...

The mosaic design was of a young woman sleeping on a bed of white roses, her face was all-too familiar as it glowed beneath my feet brilliantly. My eyes adjusted and traced over the patterns and it contrasted differently against the dark murky atmosphere. My eyes trailed to the people that had closely watched me wake from my slumber.

There in the end of the mosaic floor on a platform sat an older man behind a rich walnut-colored desk, beside him stood a young woman with long silver hair and a small masked creature with cat like ears. Both human individuals were dressed in such an extravagant attire. The older balding man had pressed slacks and I was sure you wouldn't be able to find a single wrinkle in his blazer. When I focused more on his face he looked as if he were strained, beads of sweat were formed on his forehead.

" _Master..._ " Mouthed the small creature. A crease on his mask showing his feelings of worry. I flinched at the sound of his voice... _I recognized it all too well. —_ The little voice that had spoken to me earlier...that child-like voice undoubtedly belonged to this creature.

The young delicate woman was strikingly beautiful. She was small in comparison to myself she had on a fine velvet blue dress with two butterfly ornaments hanging from her headband. She looked at her master with concern and and he simply wiped it away with a handkerchief from his breast pocket.

"Welcome to the Velvet room. My name is Igor the its keeper. Unfortunately we do not have much time for explanations my dear. What say you we strike a deal?"

"A deal...?"

"Ay, a malevolent force threatens the world as we all know it. We must make haste as it has already sensed us making a move. _Lavenzia_ , bring me the bearer of the chariot. It's time."

"Right away Master." The fair maiden acknowledged in compliance.

"What is this deal..?" I asked still feeling a pang of nausea assault my senses. — _For whatever reason, I always fail to reach the end of the dream. Time and time again, I begin to even question the dream. Had it even been real all along? Or had it simply been the product of a drug induced coma...?_


	3. Chapter 3: Who Art Thou?

**Chapter Three: Who Art Thou?**

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What does it feel like understanding a foreign tongue? If anything it felt almost natural in a sense that my mind was able to translate it well and comprehend it.

It was also a very alien feeling, not knowing why are how wasn't my main concern. It was a matter of trying to make sense of what was going about out of my once sleeping stupor. The voice of a woman stirring me from slumber.

" _...No please doctor! Give us more time_!"

For some odd reason it was unbelievable difficult to muster the strength to open my eyes.—The heaviness they bared was almost laughable.

I think I had been covered by sheets, but the room was freezing. I wanted nothing more than warm pressed sheets to help me sleep though the pain.I think it may have been hours or even days ago when I began to feel the tenderness in my back and legs. Had I survived my endeavor?

Was Igor just a figment of a drug induced coma? Why couldn't I remember the rest of what he had told me from our encounter?— _Maybe it was just a dream._

"What on earth...?"

"Doctor! Her brain activity is stabilizing..!" I could few cold clammy hands begin to rip the blankets that once sheltered me from the cold. My vision was still nonexistent and in a primal sense I was very confused.

"Hey! Wait! She needs somethin' dammit!" A young voice yelled. It sounded like that of a young man. With just listening I couldn't figure how old he must have been. He didn't sound any younger than fourteen or fifteen.

"Nurse Tsukishima please escort them to the waiting room. We need to give her some room." Ordered a feminine voice.

"Yes, Mam!" Answered the Male Nurse.

My throat was so dry. Even in the haze I felt like each breath was as if someone was ripping my throat apart.

" _Like hell you will!_ " The boyish voice scorned. "You mean to tell me we can't even see her when she wakes up? Outta my way!"

"Wa..ter.." I rasped in a plea. Someone rushed over and brought their ear up to my face.

"Don't worry sweety, once we stabilize your condition we'll fetch you some water. Now, before that I just need you to answer a few questions for me love. Can you tell me where you are?" She pulled a small flashlight immediately blinded by the small contraption. She had me follow her finger and do other small tasks. The doctor held a look of concern sketched on her otherwise flawless face. I almost taken aback when her sharp bronze eyes and dark marine colored hair. She focused on my face most likely examining my pupils and then turned her attention back to my vitals.

I suppose she was the type of beautiful that make other women truly admire her as someone you only hoped to compete with.

"The hospital." I answered hoarsely. I had my own fair share of visos in the past. I knew the potent sterile smell of latex gloves and non-scented linens.

"What's your name?"

"I..." I tried to rack my brain for a name, but my mind went blank. Who on earth was I again? How did I know I was in the hospital if I don't recall an exact time I came here last?

 _Who am I?_

The Doctor immediate looked concerned and looked at the clipboard in her hands.

My face paled and I felt a loss of identity hit me full force. I don't remember my name...or anything before that dream.

Then how did I make that inner statement? How did I understand the usual going-ons of a hospital? How did I get here? How did I-

"Doctor her blood-pressure is dropping!" Nurse Tsukishima said in a panic. By this time I really did feel like the room was spinning. I think I had a familiar experience in a carnival once...

"Get some fludrocortisone into her IV tubes and we can go from there. I'll go ahead and discuss the options with the Sakamoto family." She ordered before walking briskly towards the door and making a quick exit.

"It seems like the Sakamoto family just keeps coming and going." Stated another nurse on the scene. "What happened this time?"

"Sports related injury, She's been in a coma for about two months. Let's see here... _November 19th,17:04_ and today is _January 21_?" Answered Nurse Tsukishima. As they talked the nameless Doctor had named a rose intake and had Nurse Tsukishima administer it through my IV. I felt the cold liquid work it's way into the drip and into my veins.

"Relax love, you will be fine. This should help regulate your blood pressure and get rid of that vertigo." Said a nameless feminine Nurse taking rigorous notes into her clipboard.

"It's would be wise to rest, don't worry about anything else for the moment. Can you do that for us?" Asked Nurse Tsukishima.

I nodded and ignored the throbbing in my head and felt the world close in around me. The pain was not gone, but it was much more manageable.

 _It's probably for the best not to think of that now..._

I took his advice and let it sit in the back of my mind. I'd worry about it as soon as I had to cross that bridge.


	4. Chapter 4: Unlikely Trio

**Chapter Four: Unlikely Trio**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/10 Sunday & 04/11 Monday**

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 **Author's notes: Hello, my lovely readers! First and foremost I'd like to thank those of you who decided to follow and add this story to your favorites list! It makes me happy to know at least I'm doing something right. I would also love to thank my helpful reviewers! Your feedback is important and I'm overjoyed to see someone wants my story to improve its potential. I'll hope to hear more from you all soon WontonNoodles, Minakoto Yukisato &THEDOTKING. **

**I really appreciate it. Reviews with more input always motivate me to update in a timely manner.**

 **Now, moving on to the story input...**

 **I am aware there might be some issues regarding medical protocol and whatnot, but I really don't wan to explain every minor detail and drive the story from a tangent it might not ever recover from. It's not really a valid excuse I know this, but I do want to add this is a paranormal story so it's safe to assume not everything has a logical explanation. SO if anyone has helpful information and constructive criticism please don't hesitate. I'm here to give you a pleasant reading experience whilst fulfilling my selfish escapism. LOL.**

 **As for any questions regarding our M.C, She is a Reincarnate. I hope to make at least one of you cry by the time I finish this story so best be prepared my loves. Quick question before you read...MCxMC or naw...?**

 **Update: Based on the timeline, she should be a second-year by now and going on seventeen. Her accident was dated in November after she turned sixteen.**

* * *

I found myself a regular patron at the JR Tokyo Hospital. Nurse Tsukishima was a constant variable in the otherwise destructive and crazy equation that was now my life. I endured numerous physical exams and wires strapped on my head to monitor my brain activity. The doctor was baffled by the speedy recovery. She said it was nothing short of a miracle. Test after test came out negative and it was driving her mad. I was sure she was still loosing sleep over it.

Still, I took comfort in the fact that...despite the nuisances of hospital visits and the countless hours of therapy, I would never be alone.

 _Ryuji would always be there for me._

As I had discovered after awakening, I had a twin of my own. We were identical twins and the moment the staff cleared me for visits he never left mt side. With our interactions I came to ask him a little bit about himself and I recall the moment his face fell as I did not recognized certain phrases or inside jokes we shared.

It was then that I was diagnosed with Retrograde Amnesia. Of course the medical staff had figured I was dazed at first from the brain trauma, but realized it was not the case after seeing my odd behavior as I stared at myself in the mirror for long periods of time and being unresponsive to my own name.

Ryuji took it very hard, more so than our mother. He had stormed into my temporary room n the hospital with a trail of tears rolling from his face. Even in my state I still managed to coax him to talk to me. I had hoped that somehow his words could possibly trigger a memory from my past, but alas, it was in vain. I had eventually learned we would be turning Seventeen in July the third to be exact. Mother had shown me pictures of us as toddlers and it was apparent to say Ryuji and I looked indistinguishable at the time. From our toothy smiles to our facial structure, we looked strikingly similar.

The old Ryoko sure looked like a happy little girl in those childhood pictures. It was odd really, seeing someone with a face like my own at the moment, but failing to recall ever being there. It almost felt like staring back at a complete stranger.

When I was able to catch a glimpse at my appearance for the first time I felt a pang of fear hit my stomach. My feminine features were far more prominent as apposed to the child-like baby fat I saw in my Mother's photo album. My eyes were rich and vibrant like honey and my hair was the common dark brown; a common trait among the folk here. Like my Mother, I held more of a heart-shaped face, and her pale ivory skin.

Ryuji had a very prominent jawline, that was accentuated by his square facial figure. Mother says he looks a lot like her own brother in that aspect. His skin was also a tad more tanner than mine, but that could easily be caused by his after school club activities. His smiles was definitely vibrant and his pearly whites were eventuated by his skin tone.

Medical staff often stared him down—or at least attempt to. His blonde hair was a sign of rebellion and to them he just looked like a delinquent. From a fair distance in could say he was intimidating, but his getup was a facade. Nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

He may be he lacking in eyebrows, but he made up for that it kindness.

He was patient enormous enough to wait for me in the lobby, but opinionated enough to let anyone know when he felt someone wasn't doing their job correctly.

 _He had quite the mouth on him didn't he?_

I began to wonder how a single mother of two was able to afford my visits with the specialist.

From the sound of things It was going to be costly...Mother still won't let me see the bills...and I haven't tried looking at them in the least.

Even if I wanted to...there wasn't much I could do right now. I was hoping to finish the therapy as soon as possible and get a part-time job to get rid of these debts. I vaguely remembered the adolescent voice from before and recalled it's words.

 _"...The money they receive would ultimately relieve the monetary debt they have. They would be well off without you."_

 _'Money is not important when you have people who love you.'_

The thing is, I made a statement to prove a point. I wanted to stay with people who cared for and adored me, wether we lived in modest living conditions and grew hungry. Had the power of my own love for life brought me back from the embrace of death? Was it all a dream?

"Ryoko? What are ya' spacing around for? Were you even listening?" I gave him a blank stare and sheepish dodged his pointed look. I stared at Ryuji's now blonde hair and shook my head with a smile.

He said he dyed it to make a statement, I think.

"Erm, sorry! I was just thinking that maybe we could hit the gym after today. Look! Dr. Hideyoshi gave me this." I pulled out a chestnut lathered diary from my plain black messenger bag and handed to him gingerly.

"A notebook? What? Does she expect you to catch up to your studies already or something?" He asked running his fingers through his short blonde. Even with the short time I had been in my brother's presence, he still managed to sputter redicoulus notions. I found myself frowning and jabbed his llover rib.

I mean why on earth would the rush me back to school in that manner? I was seeing my physical therapist, not a school counselor.

"No you quack...!" Ryuji's mouth went agape at the sudden insult. "It's a diary. She wants me to write little things I do during the day. If I feel like I can remember something than I should be able to write it in detail and keep it all in this dairy. She said that it would do me well to visit some common areas I've visited before. She thinks it might trigger a response. What do you think?"

Ryuji quickly recovered and gave me a toothy grin. "No fibbin'? If it you really think it'll get that head of yours to remember than I'm up for it—"Ryuji's eyes widened and he face-palmed himself.

"—But wait. We have to pay two-hundred yen a piece to get in there. We need that for dinner." He voiced solemnly.

"Oh..." I say forming an 'o' with my mouth. I felt a little dejected, Ryuji and Mother were really putting a lot of effort to get me to recall my past, but it was a no go at the moment.

If my dream about Igor was correct, I would say that my soul had somehow inhabited this body, a completely blank vessel live on...

If so, what happened to the real Ryoko? Can I somehow bring a part of her back and become one with her?

I don't know, but I certainly don't want to give up. Surely this brain can recall even the smallest of memories...

Ryuji also looked dejected, he had his hands in his pockets as we stood outside the Hospital gates. The sun was very forgiving today, the air was brisk and fresh. Ryuji began to pull an arm back and brushed his fingers through his spiky tresses.

"Hang on a second...! All we gotta do is go to places you used to be familiar with! Right? You used to wait for me by the bleachers at the track field after your volleyball meets were over."

I thought about it for a brief second. Certainly there would be no harm in going today? Wouldn't there?

"Did you miss practice again today? Won't the coach be upset if he saw you crawling back?" I asked a little more than concerned. I had heard enough to know that something was not quite right about the new Coach that was now teaching at the High School I was attending.

He scratched the back of his head and muttered something along the lines of, "Don't worry about it."

Ryuji had started coming home in a terrible state, he was always disheveled, hungry and bore countless bruises. One night he came home with knees lined with red-angry blisters...

He kept repeating the same words like a mantra to keep himself going.

 _"Track is all I have...Track is the only thing I have."_

Just what was this man doing to them? It was borderline mental terrorism. The school was allowing these students along with Ryuji to work themselves half to death. I hadn't known at the time, but for an elite school like Shujin, threats of denying recommendations letters and prestige was akin to holding their college diplomas in their faces.

"You may have a point, but It's not like I'm going to leave you wander on your own. Track is the last thing that's on my mind!" He had raised his voice near the last part and broke it with a sigh. He looked to and from the ground and back at me. "Listen Ryoko, do you seriously not remember how you hurt yourself?"

"I-uh I...really don't." I asked in a low hum. "I only know the details by word of mouth. Mainly what you and what the theories the medical staff keep gossiping about."

From what I had heard it had been a nasty sports related accident.

Based on what Ryuji and Mother have told me, They claim that I joined an after school club; volley ball to be exact. It was always taught by the same coach so our schedules would typically synchronize with one another.

"I didn't see it when it happened, I saw you after the fact. I sure as hell heard it though." He winced as if he felt a phantom pain in his head. "When I saw you crumpled up on the floor like that..." Ryuji balled up his fists and hung his head in shame.

I felt like their was something missing. A simple crash on the floor wouldn't be the major cause of brain trauma.

My brows furrowed and I placed a hand over his wrist. "Hey, I'm fine now aren't I? I may not be at a hundred percent, but I'm still here you know."

Ryuji looked at my hand cupping his wrist and his eyes softened. "Yeah, I guess you are! Look at me, I'm supposed to be the one cheering you up."

I give him a toothy grin and link an my left around his right. "That's what I'm here for too you know." I say giving him a light punch in the shoulder. "We're twins right?"

"Right." He said firmly.

I knew things would be confusing since the moment I had awoken from the coma, but there wasn't much power I had to really change anything. I had accepted that. As difficult and overwhelming it might be, I had to triumph forward.

For Mother and Ryuji.

"Oh! I know! How 'bout we go walk around Shibuya?" He asked practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Even with the loom of possibly facing the wrath of his new track coach the following day, Ryuji still managed to put it at the back of his head. A feeling in the pit of my gut was bothering me about it and I could only hope that teacher held the slightest bit of mercy.

I would only find out in due time that a family emergency was not a valid excuse to skip practice...that skipping for any reason was inaceptable through "his" eyes.

The following week I was to attend classes again. Other than taking a frightening amount of medication, it would be fine.

 _I would need to take it in stride._

The night before, Mother had washed my body and helped me in the tub to relax. It's not that I'm some delicate rose of some kind. Mother was just really worried about the scarring tissue in my head.

She was always so warm and attentive. One day I found myself frowning at the inflicted area. Above my right ear and temple was a scar. The stitches were removed a while ago, but the flesh still looked raw. I would probably need to wear a loose beanie around it.

No doubt people would keep staring. I didn't need the extra attention.

"Don't worry Ryo-kun It doesn't look that bad." I knew she was trying to be comforting, but it was still a little hard to look at.

"Thank you Mama. I just think it might be a bit distracting to my classmates. Besides, it's best to keep it dry and away from anything that might cause the Doctor any trouble."

"Yes, that would be troublesome. You can grab a hat from my closet. I have a few for you to choose from!" She helped from the tub and lightly wrapped my head in medical tape. With that I dressed in my pajamas and went into the room I shared along Ryuji. He was already dressed in a baggy blue T-shirt and gray sweats with two vertical lines aligned on both sides. Baggy and comfortable was always his motto.

Not that I was anyone to judge since I had a baggy long sleeve and comfy black pajama pantaloons.

He was already on his top bunkbed, reading manga with very tired eyes. I crawled into bed and shifted into a more comfortable position.

My left was the most favorable position. Away from quite possibly aggravating the wound. Lord forbid I get an infection.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked, eyes feeling droopy.

"I am, arent you?" He countered before flipping the pages to a shounen manga he was reading. He yawned and the room gre quiet, save the noise of paper flicking as he read on.

"I am." I said reohasing his words. "Now, which one of us is going to cut the lights off?"

We both stayed quiet and looked at each other and gave a stubborn frown. I was already comfortable. There was no way in this earth that I was giving that up. " _Not it._ " We announced in unison. We both groaned and glared at the light switch. We sat there for a few minutes before Ryuji sighed. With a smirk I felt like I had won the battle of the sloths.

 _Oh, how naive I once was._

Ryuji tossed a shirt he had lying at the foot of his bed. He missed and started reloading on ammo.

"Pass me that DOMO _bear-thing_." I heaved a sigh and stretched with all my might. As I reached for the DOMO teddie bear on the floor I tossed it to him. His reflexes were a lot better than mine and with accurate precision he nailed the light switch and cut the lights.

" _How terrible_ , that DOMO did nothing to you, For shame big brother."

"For an amnesiac, you sure never change." His words stuck a cord and I was thankful the lights were off, my eyes softened in moonlit room. It was comforting to know at least I still held the same traits as the former Ryoko.

I smiled and snuggled comfortably in my small matress."Admit it, you can't get rid of me even if you tried."

"Wouldn't dream of it Sis." He responded before his top bunk creaked as he shifted comfortably.

"Neither would I. Goodnight _Ryu._ "

"Goodnight _Ryo_."

We took our needed rest and woke the next day bright and early. Mother's cooking lured us from snoozing in. Eggs sizzling and the scent of chopped potatoes wafting in the air filled the house. Ryuji was a heavy sleeper and it took more than a few Domo-plush wacks to wake him.

"Cut it out Ryo! I'm up dammit."

I raised an eyebrow and whacked him once more. "Could have sworn you were hitting the snooze button a few seconds ago on your phone. Mama has breakfast ready! I don't want to be late."

He looked at me and then slumped back in bed. He waved me off in dismissal. "Fine, Fine. I'm coming."

I went into my Mother's room to change. I wore pantyhose stockings to suit the cold weather under the plaid skirt.

Surely that would be well-suited in the case of turbulent winds. I put on the school issued turtleneck and wore my blazer over it. I had gone through my Mother's closet and found a plain burgundy beanie. I pulled it over my head being mindful of the bandages and used some hair clips to lock it in place.

My hair had been trimmed in a short asymmetrical A-line for low maintenance. I had to much to worry about than brushing long hair. It was better this way. Once I felt more or so satisfied with my appearance I headed to the kitchen to grab breakfast.

By the time I got there Ryuji was lazily plopping himself in the table and loosely putting on his blazer. I smiled and shook my head.

Of course he wouldn't care about school formalities.

We dined peacefully, Mother was getting ready for work and had to work overtime. She was working as a line cook in a buffet at a casino in Downtown Tokyo. She often told us stories of how she prepared meals for rich dignitaries or whatever that meant. She always came home smelling of salmon and garlic asparagus every Tuesday.

It was a shock to see how much food she brought home, mostly overstock to get thrown away. She and a co-worker of hers were always sent to throw untouched scraps away and instead hit them in the fridge to take home after their shifts. She brought home miniature blueberry pies. So far those were my growing favorite much to my Mother's pleasure.

"Don't forget to take an umbrella you two!" My mother warned as she gave us a kiss on the cheek. I handed her her bento box as she leaned and before she headed out to leave she spun on her heal to gave us."Oh! Your bento is in the freezer and eat everything including those veggies. Hear me Ryu my love?"

Ryuji frowned and gave stuck his tongue out at our mother and a childish demeanor. "Ryuji..." My mother gave him a pointed look as if she was trying to look intimidating. We knew better though. She was practically a saint.

His eyes widened and he gave her a salute. " _Yes, Mother."_

She smiled and blew us a kiss and headed on her merry way. I snickered through my meal at Ryuji's expense and he simply told me to shut it.

When we headed out and I followed Ryuji and like tail to a dog, I was never far behind him.

"Stay close, once we transfer to the Ginza line it's going to be packed. We'll be lucky to get a seat at rush hour."

The ride to school was _(for the lack of a better word)_ awful. Though bearable, it was still cramped and I was lucky enough to have used perfume this morning, otherwise I'd have nostrils full of someone else's B.O.

I carried the umbrella close to me and I hadn't really seen any sign of rain until we started to climb up the stairs to exit the underground subway on to higher ground.

"Holy crap it's pouring out there!" Ryuji exclaimed trying to use his bag as a shield. I fiddled with the umbrella and opened it before we even made it above ground. It was still a bit difficult with all the students around, but we managed to shield ourselves from the coming onslaught of rain.

" _There we go_!" I said in a small victory, Ryuji laughed in a pettily fashion as others ran for cover.

"look at those morons, can't even bring an umbrella!" I raised and eyeborw and stopped indignantly in my tracks.

"You seem to forget that you were the that one that forgot the umbrella in the first place. Pretty sure if it weren't for me right now we'd probably be soaked to the bone here _Ryuji._ " I answered before narrowing my eyes at him accusingly. Ryuji flinched visibly, he gave a nervous chuckle before I handed him the umbrella.

"How about you carry the umbrella champ? You feel so high and mighty as everyone runs from the rain?" I voiced smugly. It was actually kind of neat to make him carry it after all. His lips prused into a pout and he hung his head in defeat. Like a gent, he riased the umbrella and we began to trudge our way to school.

 _That's what he gets for thinking he could get away with petty jabs._

The walk was brisk and seemimgly uneventful. I walked furtherst from the road to Ryuji's right. Other student's didn't pay us any mind. A few cars drove near the flooding area near the asphault, but slowed enough to keep the waves of water from drenching any passerby's near the sidewalk.

I heard it before I even felt it, the sound of a cat whizzing by the puddle with unnecessary speed and sent a wave of cold grotesque water in our direction. I let out an unruly gasp escape me and Ryuji and I had momentarily been stunned.

I was practically frozen in place as the cold water seeped into my stockings and blazer. Ryuji practically smashed the umbrella into my palms. He was livid and began to chase the car down. Had he been a little faster he would have managed to catch up, the owner of the car had no regard for the well being of other people and yet they stopped to pick up a young woman from the rain.

In vain I tried to remove the dirt from my face and watched in concern as Ryuji's straps faltered as if his knee were giving out. Perhaps his lack of attending club activities had made a major impact on him than i originally thought.

"Son of a bitch! Screw that pervy teacher! I can't wait to get my hands on him and kick him in the nads so hard his ancestors feel it!"

" _P-pervy teacher_?" Sputtered a low voice questioned. With a handkerchief I wiped the water from my face and made my way over to Ryuji.

"What are you looking at?" He growled accusingly at the boy before him. I scampered towards him and attempted to diffuse the situation before he lashed out at a stranger.

"Ryuji..." I hissed making my way over to him. "You act like he's in cahoots with the driver. He has nothing to do with it. _Leave him be._ " I bowed to the boy and pulled Ryuji in a small bow. He However pulled away instantly.

"No way, he's probably just gonna rat me out like everyone else. That was Coach Kamoshida in the car!" He then shot an accusing stare at the curly haired young man. "I won't forgive you if you do."

The boy our age was fairly tall and lanky. His hair was tousled in natural curls and his glasses enhanced the doe like appearance of his eyes. His skin was flawless and to be quite frank he was a beautiful man.

Is it possible to be jealous of a man who carries delicate traits better than my own? Of course it was, but that was beside the point. From the looks of it he seemed quite uncomfortable and oblivious.

" _Kamoshida?"_ He asked testing out the name. By the look of his puzzled face he probably had no idea what Ryuji was talking about. "Forgive me, I have no idea whi you mean."

"Wait, you seriously don't know who I'm talking about? You know Kamoshida? The school Coach? Teaches Volleyball and Track? Pretentious asshole Kamoshida? Acts like he's king of the castle Kamoshida?" Ryuji Looked perturbed and raised an eyebrow.

"You look lost. You are from Shujin Academy, right?" I asked earnestly. I had hardly remembered my time there, but the new coach had made a name for himself.

"...You mean Shujin Academy?" He paused before he began to play with a strand of his hair. "...Well, I do _now_." He answered lowly. Ryuji and I had leaned both our heads in to try to hear the guy talk.

"So you're a transfer then. No wonder you don't know about Coach bastard Kamoshida..." Ryuji said trailing off.

"Is this your first day?" I asked curiously. Perhaps I wouldn't be the only one to wind up lost in school. I might have to rely on muscle memory, but I don't think that's how the brain works.

"Yes." He said in a low tone. The vibrato of his voice was a tad deep it was a little difficult to hear him.

Ryuji grinned and beckoned him towards us. "Well it's pouring out! Waiting out here and hoping it'll die down is a big mistake bro! You'll be late C'mon. I know a shortcut that's should keep us dry. It's through this alleyway here."

"You make yourself sound sketchy. I wouldn't even trust you." I say narrowing my eyes at him. As he began to walk towards the back alley a loud ring pierced my ears followed by a wave of nausea hit me hard. I winced through the pain and shook my head as if I hoping that somehow that would help.

But just as suddenly as the wave came, it left just as quickly. I only prayed the mister water didn't infect my wound or anything of the sort.

I turned around and held the umbrella out to him.

"Come, at least one of us can stay dry right?" He looked at his phone and fiddled with it. I think he may or may not have been using google maps on his phone.

He blinked owlishly and parted his lips slightly. He stepped forward and I just realized just how tall this guy really was. Compared to my 5'3...he towered over me. It was rather awkward trying to hold an umbrella out for a tall person.

He struggled as well, trying to crouch and slouch in order to shield himself from the rain. After a bit of fumbling he simply tapped my shoulder and offered a hand to the handle of the umbrella.

"Sorry." I say sheepishly. He shakes his head in dismissal and I hand it to him.

"No worries." He said softly.

"What the heck? What about me?" Jabbed Ryuji clearly not happy about the accommodation.

"Hey, you offered to be our tour guide. Besides I brought the umbrella. Quit complaining and show us the way." I said whilst waving him off.

"What? No fair! You're just making him carry the damn thing." He called back.

"He's taller." I say shaking my head. I kept wiping the dirt off of my blazer with a handkerchief. Though it was practically in vain, it would need to be thrown in the washer and that would not be happening until I got home.

"Are you two related?" Asked the the quiet curly haired boy. I looked at Ryuji and nodded.

"Yes. He's quite the handful. He's usually quite brash and cold, but he means well."

When we saw him pause up ahead looking aghast, we gave each other a look of concern and I turned my attention back to Ryuji as we finally exited into the street leading to the school.

Or so I thought it was the way to school.

"What the hell?" Ryuji cursed completely thrown off. He looked back to the pathway of the alleyway and back to the massive structure before him. "We went the right way though. I always cut through here!"

"What is this place...?" There was no way this was an actual castle...in this era? Especially not in the twenty first century that is...! It looked too real to be a theme park attraction.

The boy looked a little troubled by the new ordeal, but he looked like the logical-type, he was probably finding ways to explain our situation... Well I assumed so, he didn't quite voice any actual opinions yet.

"Well, whatever it is, we can always ask what the heck is going on. For all I know they might have pulled an over the top prank. This is Shujin after all."

"Well the sign does say Shujin...is it really okay to step right in?" I asked feeling something unpleasant stirring in my gut.

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be alright. What are ya' thinking about Specs?"He didn't seem putt of by the nickname. He was probably called that too often I think.

"Well, we won't find out anything if we idle around." He said simply shrugging his shoulders.

"Very true...I'm pretty sure the school might be out to get us. What better prey than the school slacker, the cripple and the new guy?" I snickered at the idea, but a part of me felt more than afraid.

"Well, I vote if we see anyone trying anything funny we _bounce_. Sound good?"

Specs and I nodded and we continued our way inside. The rain had stopped moments before and the frizzy haired boy returned the umbrella.

"Thank you." He said with small bow, I shook my head and bowed in return.

"No problem. Sorry-forgot my manners Name's Sakamoto Ryoko." I offered a hand and he shook mine lightly. "In case you haven't caught on. The goof upfront is Ryuji." Ryuji looked back and made a loud gasp.

"You trying to make me look like a dumbass?"

"Sakamoto-San nice to meet you. I'm Kurusu. Kurusu, Akira."

"Ah, no need for honorifics. You can call be by my give name." I say in a cheery tone.

"Very well, The same goes for me as well."

I gave him a friendly smile and we continued to walk over the large mote. It smelled of soaked wood as apposed to wet concrete. We passed the castle gates and we stared back at the massive entrance.

"They look like the doors to a cathedral. Quite magnificent actually."

"This is starting to freak me out." Ryuji said grimacing. Though he never admitted it, I was sure he had very good intuition.

He began to push at the door, but it failed to move. He stopped and looked back at us. "Pardon me, should I also carry your bags like a bell boy?"

I rolled my eyes and raised an eyebrow at his direction. "You ould have told us you needed help Ryuji...No need to be a grump about it."

We put our bags down and pushed with all the force we had. I could fee my forearms beginning to cramp. They were probably neglected from my days spent in the ICU.

With our group effort we were able to force the door open. I could feel the sweat starting to build on my brow.

" _Wow, I'm out of shape."_ I thought aloud. Honest to god, I probably looked terrible. I was grimy from the muddy water and to top it off I was beginning to sweat like pig. Not charming at all.

"Ryuji managed to catch his breath the quickest and grabbed his bag off of the floor. I followed not long after, Akita kept up at his own pace.

"W-What the hell is going on with our school?" Ryuji said still trying to grasp the situation.

"The Google Nav says it's Shujin Academy." Akira said in confirmation. He held his phone out for us to see, but the clanking or metal drew out attention away from his phone.

Akira stepped back as a man wearing a heavy clad iron armor marched way towards us. My eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Halt! Thy has trespassed on sacred land. Address thyself Naíve!"

"Geez man. What the fuck? You scared the crap 'outta us!" Ryuji said holding his chest. "Let me guess, you're a dedicated cosplayer aren't you."

"...You think he's LARP-ing?" Asked Akira who had his hands in his pockets.

"LARP-ing?" Asked Ryuji not paying mind to the knight. "Really dude?" He said giving Akira a look. Akira merely shrugged his shoulders in response. "Still the outfit _does_ looks legit." Ryuji turned his attention to the armored man. "How did you get it to look so real?"

The armored man stayed quiet. I could hear the sound of metal clanging again, approaching hastily.

"Don't just stand there man, say something!" Ryuji growled clearly feeling a bit more than freaked out.

Another man wearing an identical armor marched out direction from a hall adjacent to us.

"What on earth is this..?" Akira whispered clearly not finding the joke behind this 'so-called prank.'

My eyes were glued to the sword and and I gripped on to the umbrella in my hands tightly.

"Ryuji's eyes studied the knights and his they widened like saucers. "Guys...I think they're fucking real!" Ryuji jumped back enough to miss a clean swing across the face.

I gripped tightly on to the umbrella and and swung violently in order to get more ground in the offenders. "If this is the schools's idea of a joke. I am not laughing." I voiced aloud.

"Ryo! What the hell are thinking! Don't provoke them. Stay back!" Ryuji ordered.

"Shall we ' _bounce_ '?" Asked Akira rephrasing the call Ryuji made.

"Yeah, fuck this! Let's make like a banana-sundae and split." Agreed Ryuji. The boys had positioned themselves up front to push and shove their way through.

As much as it frustrated me, I wasn't an idiot to know genetics made men far superior in strength than women. One-hundred thirteen pounds versus One-fifty? One-fifty will plow further than One-thirteen.

We made a break for the door until we saw it close before we even cut through the foyer. A group of armored knight waiting for us.

"Holy shit. You guys, I think this is real!" I say trying to keep my voice steady.

"Ryo, get behind me! Shit man. What the hell's going on here?!" The three of us drew closer and we were practically leaning on each other's backs.

"Ryo-San, if we provide you an opening can you make a break for it?" Asked Akira fixing his glasses.

"What?! Where would I run!? This place is probably crawling with these guys!"

"If you can just hide and find a window in sure you can find an exit. You can do it."

"Holy shit-Wait! W-What about you guys!" I was not in the mood for formalities and being courteous about language at all. "I can't just up and leave!" Ryuji kept his eyes on the knights and he reached for the umbrella and motioned his hands for me to hand it over.

I complied.

 _'Ryuji...'_

"Three seconds...Ready Akira?"

"Right behind you." He said adjusting his glasses. My heart pounded loudly as when I heard Ryuji let out a war cry I pushed myself forwards.

"Go Ryo!"

 _'Don't you dare look back' Screamed a deep voice in my head._

 _'As long as you're safe nothing else matters._ _Mom and I can't and will not loose you again...'_

 _I ran like someone told me I couldn't, I ran like a coward...to afraid to face death again. Afraid to fight back._

 _Like a coward I hid. His until I would soon realize fighting back...would be my only option. In the sheer panic I hadn't even realized the voice in my head had never been my own._

 _Such was the work of the cognitive world._


	5. Chapter 5: I

**Chapter Five: I ...**

 **Diary Entry:04/11 Monday.**

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello my lovely readers, I just wanted to clarify the idea I have regarding the story. So in the story Ryoko does not recall her entire encounter with Igor, don't worry that reason will be explained later in the story. Morgana will not remember her either and there is a valid reason as to why so please bare with me. **

**I really thought about pairings recently and it would probably be a slow-burner if anything. I realize that if she has a romantic interest it would still be in the close group of friends. _(hence Cancer Horoscope. Honestly Akira is a top contender...He seems like an Earth sign if I've seen one)_ There might also a little something for Ryuji since he seems a tad more sensitive about being around women. Please, If you have any cool and neat ideas let me know in the reviews.**

 _ **I'd like to thank wyattharto8, gerson and epikachu for your input I really hope to hear from you soon!**_

* * *

My eyes adjusted to the darkness, as I peered though the crack of the wardrobe cabinet. I didn't hear the clanking of armor nearby so I assumed the coast was clear.

I may have wasted half-an hour trying to keep my calm. Not that it really mattered, the entire place was on high-alert after all the commotion. There wasn't much I could do with those esquires crawling around...When I closed my eyes I could only imagine what the boys were going through right now.

Something in my gut told me they were alive and kicking and something told me I was sure Ryuji would be doing most of the kicking.

Akira seemed like a nice guy and it was refreshing to meet someone who didn't judge a book by its cover. Ryuji really needs a friend like that...I only hoped he would consider the idea of being friends with us after this. It would be nice...

Quietly and carefully I opened the cabinet door and got on to my hands and knees like a rugrat. There had been a table set in the middle of the room and I used it as means to hide in plain sight, I the other door appeared to be closed so my only option was to back the way in came.

I should secure an exit and get the boy back. The more I thought about it, I felt it would prove impossible to make my way through the security of the castle.

Just then the door behind me opened and closed quickly. My blood ran cold and crouched small enough to keep myself from being visible.

Unbeknownst to me the culprit was readying their weapon. I looked around the room for a possible weapon. The only thing within reach would be the chair I had been hiding behind.

I knelt and grabbed both of the armrests of the chair. If anything, I could use it as a distraction and make a break for it. I almost saw a small dark figure trying to peer at me from the side of the table. I decided to make a jump on it! Through the miracles of adrenaline I brought the chair up, ready to throw it at the enemy.

"... _Don't try anything funny_." Whispered a child-like voice. I slowly turned my head towards the direction above me. There standing above the table was a small masked creature and in his small paws a slingshot. My eyes trailed to the gashes on his arms and belly. Its breathing was labored and it looked worse for wear.

I held my hands up in defeat. "Easy...I don't mean any harm." The creatures eyes widened, but it shook its head and kept pointing its weapon in my face.

"Why are you here? Are you a soldier or an intruder?" Asked the feline-creature narrowing its eyes.

" _Depends_...What do you do intruders? Please don't take out an eye. I need those!" asked fearing the answer he was going to give me. It looked back at the door and back at me.

"...You appear to be cognizant, not like the king's puppets strewn about in the castle. Are you from the human realm?"

" _Cognizant_? What do you mean by human realm and the king's puppets?" It looked frantically for a second and perked his ears. It jumped off of the table and crouch down in front of me. He put a gloved finger on muzzle and looked at the door he came in from. Just then the god awful sound of clanking metal approaching sent shivers down my spine. I stayed quiet and listened as heart beat hammered loudly in my ears. From the corner of the table I watched the armored knight look around briefly before leaving the way he came in.

"Follow me." He asked as he gestured to the opened door I had initially came from.

I did as he asked and we began to make our way into the hall. I was able to get a glance at the foyer and noticed how empty it now was. I gripped on to my bag and fell an immense urge to head to the south wing beyond the foyer.

Hiding in a while wardrobe so close to the incident had been risky. Honestly it was a very stupid idea and I wanted to punch myself for it.

"There's an exit through this door." It said beckoning me toward a door parallel to the one we exited. "Come, and don't raise your voice. The walls have ears you know." He said opening the door for me. He looked left and right and closed the door behind him. He found a few dusty wood planks near a dilapidated bookshelf and shoved it through the door.

"That should buy some time in case they catch on to us. _Doubtful though_. I've been doing this for a while now!" He said with a cat-like smirk. He winced at his belly and pulled a few items from a fanny pack by his waist.

"Your exits there." He asked pointing at the ventilation shaft. "You should get going before they catch on to you. I think I heard them talk about a few prisoners earlier. I assumed it was you after we met. How did you get away?"

"I didn't...W-Wait prisoners?" I asked a little hopeful.

 _Ryuji must still be back there..._

"Please, is there anyway you can tell me where they might be keeping them?"

"Are you out your mind? There's no way you'll live long enough to reach them. Even if I did know-and _I might_ , what are you going to do in a confrontation? If your tactic is to hide then, you're as good as dead sweet cheeks." He said while munching on some odd looking morsel of food. He grimaced at the taste and miraculously his smallest wounds began to diminish. Like they never happened."I was heading out myself, even I know when to call it quits." He said getting up, he winced at the larger wound and started to lean on the wall coolly. "I wish I could a help a damsel in distress like you at a time like this, but alas I'm not made of steel Milady. I'm on my last reserves of energy and heading back is suicide."

"Well, what if I gave you my bento?" I asked in realization. I pulled a small plastic bento and opened the container revealing the contents; Sautéed bell pepper, onigiri with sliced cheese and octopi shaped sausage. "You were eating something right now weren't you? Maybe this can help? Take whatever you need, I even have these! Please help me bring back my brother and our classmate I beg of you!" He examined the contents carefully and noticed the bottled medication in my bag.

"...Is that pain medication?"

"Yes, its Ibuprofen...it's an anti-inflammatory." I answer laying all my contents out for it to see. "...The other bottle might not help though, it's for preventing seizures," I paused before I hesitated to add. "...You see, I hit my head pretty bad a while ago...and now I have to take these just in case. I have pretty crappy memory because of it."

"What do you mean by crappy memory?"

"Well...I'm an amnesiac. I can't remember much of anything before I woke up in the ICU." The small creature winced and gave me conflicted look.

"Why are you telling me this? I hardly know you...?"

"You're right, my bad...I-uh didn't mean to drag on like that. I'm sorry. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, Ryuji is my brother and he's been one of the only things in my life that makes sense. I can't just leave him behind. Please. Help me. Take whatever you want from me, my shirt my stuff anything. I just want my brother back..!" I had found myself getting on my hands and knees and pleaded in desperation.

It was true, Ryuji and Mother meant the world to me... They were wonderful and patient people...yet the world had been nothing but cruel to them.

I found little feet padding closer and felt a soft paw lay on my shoulder. "Gosh, you make me feel like the bad guy here, I'll tell you what, give me a few minutes to heal up and catch my breath and I'll take you to them. My only catch is that if I ask something of you I expect you to follow accordingly. No if's and's or butt's. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be getting on her hands and knees like that. Deal?"

I nod wiping a tear that had started to form in my eye and nodded. Wow, did I really just start crying like a dork. Crap puberty really sucked.

"Deal. Now, can you tell me what your name is?"

"Well, I would, but that wouldn't be a good idea. Shouting names out here could be risky. We wouldn't want to find out how that would affect the cognitive state of the palace. How about we give each other code names for the time being?"

"Okay, how about Whiskers?" I asked before he tilted his head to the side and gave me a blank look.

"Shall I name you after a basic observation as well? Like skirt or eyes?"

"How about ** _BatCat and Robin_**?"

"How about _ **N-O**_. I am _not_ a cat! I am a human!" He hissed through his meal.

"Really? Well, to clarify are you Male or Female?"

"I'm MALE!"

"R-Right...Then, for our code-names, how about Ruby and Sapphire? My skirt is kind-of red and your eyes look like royal Sapphire. Therefore...Ruby and Sapphire?"

"Well they're not completely terrible, but, at least it's something compared to your last suggestions. Anyways, let's get a move on, we might be tight on time as it is. I'm sure the king is deciding a verdict to ensue punishment on the prisoners. I'll explain the rest in detail as me move along!"

I gathered my belongings and Whiskers handed me a silver pocket knife.

"It's just a precaution. If things get dicey we run on my cue okay? Don't worry Miss Ruby, we will find your friend and your brother." With a determination I gave him a firm nod and we went on our way.

We cut through the foyer and and I felt an immense pull at the direction Whiskers was taking me.

Well, he never said I couldn't call him that in my head.

We made our way to a old and rustic wooden door and headed down a corridor of steps. With practiced ease he closed the door behind me and took the lead once more. He made gesture to keep quiet and we proceeded down the steps.

It was dark and I found myself really trying to grasp the situation. Each step deeper into this place made me realize just how mind boggling this all was to me.

I can't believe we really are in an actually castle...

Just as we made it down the set of steps the scenery was completely contrasted to the feeling upstairs. As apposed to the red velvety rugs and gaudy lamp fixtures, this floor had been damp, musky, and depressing.

"Alright get back and watch carefully, I can hear a few foot soldiers headed this way." Whiskers warned. His ears twitches and not. a second later I heard the familiar sound of metal clanking together.

I got behind a crate and watched as Whiskers stalked carefully like a panther hunting prey. He waited for something to show up and the bridge came down revealing a esquire. He paused and walked back and forth meandering. I could see Whiskers waiting for the moment to strike and with precision he catapulted himself on the wooden crate he had been hiding behind and landed on the soldier's shoulders.

"'Tis' this? Cease thine actions peasant!"

"Lets see what you really are!" He said knocking off his mask with a swipe of his paw.

Whiskers Summersaulted in the air and landed a good distance away from the enemy. Before I could question his methods the solider convulsed and contorted. I gasped as a black mass began to explode from the inside and swallow the armor whole.

The shadow-like mass had been forming into a round small figure. As it had taken more features it had begun to dissipate revealing a different entity altogether. A pumpkin head with a purple stereotypical witch hat and matching garb. In its handless gloved hand was a lantern.

"Sapphire what on earth is that thing?"

"It's a Jack O' Lantern, pretty weak if I do say so myself. Just watch and learn Ruby! Come to me! Zorro!"

My eyes widened as a massive blue flame erupted from Whiskers body, in a similar way as to how the Jack O' Lantern formed, a masked vigilante was awakened in the flames. His staunch attitude magnified the wave of machismo he gave off.

"Lets blow them away! Whirlwind!" Whiskers commanded. Zorro nodded and complied with the given command.

The Jack O' Lantern panicked and threw several fireballs in Whisker's direction.

"On gaurd!" Zorro exclaimed before slashing the air in a 'Z' formation. Zorro had cut with enough speed and force to send a small whirlwind to blow out the flames and strike at the pumpkin man. It was decimated in a single blow and I had heard it scream in agony as it faded into nothingness. When it dissipated the thing that proved its existence was a small pouch on the ground.

"Wow, l'm beginning to scare myself in so great!" Whiskers said as he picked up the pouch of goods and gave me a smirk.

"Wow! That was amazing Sapphire! What was that?"

"That Ruby, is my Persona. Think of it as a manifestation of my inner-self. In this world, cognition is a form of power. Both good and BAD."

"I see. So, you said this is a Palace, does that mean someone's cognition is strong enough to create this place."

"Palaces can only be created by a person's distorted ideals and desires. They take quite some time to manifest..." He looked over at a cognitive student in the cell beside him. "Judging by the size of this place, the ruler we could be dealing with is a twisted person who's abusing alumni in the distorted area to do his building. You said before you were on your way to school...so perhaps he does something similar to students like this guy here in the real world."

I winced at the realistic clone as he moaned in agony. _"I'm sorry Lord Kamoshida...Please forgive me."_

" _Lord Kamoshida?_ " My brow furrowed and I shook my head. "No way..." I felt a tug at my skirt and Whiskers shook his head.

"We don't have time to waste. We have to reach your brother in time before this Kamoshida fellow acts. Let's go." He said before running off. I followed suit and we crossed old rickety bridge.

I now got a better look a the lever mechanism and it looked like the mocking face of my old coach Kamoshida. As we made our way through the corridor, we ran into another mechanism and I reluctantly pulled the lever. The bridge set and I saw two tall figures whom I had been so desperately looking for.

"Ryu! Specs!" I practically shout trying to contain my joy as I made my way towards them.

"Stay back! These shadows looks different!"Whiskers hissed before I ran past him. "W-wait! What are you-Oh."

"Holy shit! Ryo!? What the hell are you still doing here! I thought we told you to run!" Scolded Ryuji. However he let out a sigh of relief.

" _A cat?_ " Akira said tilting his head at Whiskers.

Whiskers growled and hissed. "I am not a CAT! I'm human I say!"

"Well you sure is hell look like one!" Challenged Ryuji. I looked at his face and he looked like he had takes a beating.

"Care to explain _Ryoko-San_?"Asked Akira while raising an eyebrow. I made gesture for him to keep quiet and motioned towards the exit.

"We can't call each other by name out here, the walls have ears." I said rephrasing what Whiskers told me.

"I'm quite impressed. How did you lot escape the confines of the prison?"

Ryuji kept staring at Whiskers and shook his head giving Akira a knowing look. "He got us out using a thing called a Persona? Well, I think that's what the talking demon crow said he was called anyway."

" _Arsene_." Corrected Akira.

"Y-yeah. I meant _Arsene_. That's how we made it this far, he's been fending them off with his Jo-Jo powers."

"My clothes change as well," Akira said, before a scorching blue fire engulfed and diminished, as it revealed Akira wearing a dark suave prop collar jacket, red gloves and a white mask.

"He looks like a Tuxedo Mask knock-off." Muttered Ryuji. I shook my head and gave his outfit a closer look.

"I'd say it's the other way around, Tuxedo Mask isn't even on the same level. Does the mask come off?"

"It does."

"Alright Ryo, leave the guy alone. A man needs his space."

"Sorry, it just looks really cool." I say taking a major step back and bow quickly. His outfit had reverted back to its original state and he shook his head.

"No worries, I don't mind."

"I hate to be that person, but the I'm going to cut the reunion short. Since you did manage to escape there is no doubt in my mind that Kamoshida has increased security at this time. We have to move Ruby."

"Roger, Sapphire." I needed to get the hell away from this place and fast, but at least we managed to get the boys back.

"Hey Frizzy hair!" Asked Whiskers gaining his attention. "You can fight right? Move towards the front with me so we can clear the floor towards the exit!"

Akira nodded and moved closer to Whiskers. Ryuji and I would be taking the rear of the group. Whiskers sniffed the air and tried to listen for any sudden movements. Just then a pair of soldiers marched side by side.

I tapped on Akira's shoulders and he leaned slightly so he could listen.

"Here, you might need these." He blinked owlishly and grabbed three painkillers from my hand while also taking the silver pocket knife. He nodded in approval and mouthed the word "Thank You."

Ryuji leaned on a crate and grimaced as tried to get into a more comfortable position. I raised an eyebrow in concern and waited for a response.

"Cramp!" Ryuji mouthed with a grimace, I nodded.

"Ruby, I need you to repeat what you saw earlier. There are two so we both have to flank them when they least expect it. You can do it."

 _"... In this world, cognition is a form of power. Both good and BAD."_

"Ryo?" Growled Ryuji as he had made it clear he was not liking the vague dialogue.

"I can do it." I breathed. My heart began to pound loudly against my ears, but I steeled my resolve.

If I believed I could do it then I would succeed. I must have been shaking like a leaf because I felt a hand rest on my shoulder.

"You can do it Ruby." Whispered Akira.

He sure does catch on quick. I took a deep breath and crouched forward. I tried to remember Whisker's prowling movements and moved from crate to crate, moving closer. I peered behind the wooden barrel and Whiskers made a 'standby' gesture.

 _I can do this._

As they approached within striking range Whiskers motioned a slit of a neck and I nodded.

 _I CAN do this._

I hopped above the barrel and used it as leverage and propelled towards my target. I felt so sure of myself that I believed I was capable of anything. It was intoxicating.

When I was on my prey's back a worked my fingers on his mask pulled it off before he could have a chance to process it.

"Don't be shy, show yourself!" With force I jumped from the collapsing heap and landed on my butt a few feet away. Akira took the vacant side by Whiskers in front of me.

Ryuji pulled helped me to my feet and we scampered for cover as the shadows converted into three small pixies.

"You need work." Commented Whiskers, "-but for your first time, not bad." He said before using his slingshot

I smiled at the compliment and watched in amazement as Akira transformed into his combat outfit and summoned the manifest of his inner-self.

He was much more abstract than Zorro. Arsene's outfit was primarily red. He was either a raven or a crow, I couldn't really say which though. He was dressed like a noble man and I couldn't stop staring at his high-heels...they looked fatal.

Well, it's a good thing he flies.

"Woah, so Whiskers over there has a persona too?"

My eyes widened and I felt myself flush from embarrassment. Ryuji didn't hear me say that aloud did he?

"W-Whiskers?"

"Oh, I don't know what to call her-I mean it. He-I mean it looks like a Whiskers to me."

"Really? I thought he was too!"

"He?" Asked Ryuji.

"He says he's male." I answered and simply shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh, so I guess you must have asked eh?"

I hummed in affirmation and we turned our attention back to the fight as Akira commanded Arsene to attack.

"Arsene! Send them to whence they came!" Shouted Akira. We shivered at the power of his words and Arsene cackled.

"Very well. Begone!" Arsene announced in dismissal. His wings folded in allowing his weight to crash on the earth. He slammed his hand on to the paved floor and sent an abysmal sure of power that shot from the floor to an unsuspecting pixie.

"I grow tired of waiting, I wish to end them _now_." Commented Arsene as his flaming face eyed the pixies hungrily.

"Woah...He's more... _vocal_ than Zorro." I commented a bit surprised.

"Yeah, he's a little dark...you should'a heard him earlier when he first came out. He was saying all sorts of creepy shit like Kill 'em all."

Akira nodded and smirked. "Let's end this. Take your pick Arsene and ravage them."

"With pleasure." He hammered his claws twice in a row and obliterated the pixies. The room was clear and the Persona's were excused disappearing in the embers of scorching blue flames.

Akira started slouching and his breathing had become strained. We rushed to him and he leaned his back on a brick wall.

"Hey man! How are ya' feeling? You look like shit." I narrowed my eyes at Ryuji and he folded his arms in response.

"Oh! Here have some water, Ryuji, share your bento! He needs it."

"Wha-what!? _Why?_ "

"His spiritual energy is dangerously low. We need to get out of here and head to the exit. I'll take care of anyone who comes our way. Take it easy Frizzy hair."

Akira nodded and Ryuji helped him to his feet and we continued to run towards the exit. We all groaned as we made our way towards the spiral staircase.

"I forgot about these things..." I muttered as I felt my legs burn under the strain. We all spoke between pants on our way up.

"Hey...man your...glasses are...fogged up dude."

"Not-Now...Ryu-ji-San..." Akira said a bit cranky.

"Do you..need us to...Stop?" I asked looking back at Akira. He simply shook his head and pushed forward.

We were sweaty and tired by the time we reached the foyer. We gasped a breath of fresh air. The damp humidity of the corridors had been a silent torture nobody had voiced aloud.

We didn't need to be reminded of the humidity when it was thick enough to slice.

We made it back to the exit point and it had taken a moment for Ryuji to realize they would be busting through a ventilation shaft.

"You look like the sharpest tool in the shed here. Please tell me you can see the exit and prove to me humanity still has hope." Muttered Whiskers.

"You mean the vent? Yes, I can see it." Ryuji narrowed his eyes and had stuck his tongue out Whiskers. Ryuji had started climbing up and had been very eager to escape the hell-hole of a castle.

"Good, it should take you back to the entrance, make sure you keep walking until you feel the distortion disappear. You shouldn't be able to summon your Persona in the human realm."

"Thank you Sapphire...if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to find these guys." I kneeled at his level wrapped him in my arms.

"Gyaaah!" He pawed at me to let go and had tried to compose himself afterwards. "A-anyways, we made a great team Frizzy hair. Ruby we wouldn't have made it far without your support." He started kicking his feet and coughed into his paw.

"Thank you for the bento. Y-you would make a good housewife one day." I grinned at the compliment and patted his head gingerly.

"Thanks for everything. I pulled myself up the bookshelf and bid the masked feline creature farewell.

"You should pack a lunch if you plan on sticking around." Muttered Akira.

"I'll think about. You watch yourself too Frizzy hair." He nodded and waved him goodbye. We managed to crawl out and practically ran as we saw the palace gates. We kept running until a sound on Akira's phone made us stop.

"Now leaving Pervert Castle, Thank You for your hard work!" It had been the navigation app on his Iphone.

"Well that's a little weird..." We each examined our surroundings and had noticed our place in the curb where we had first met.

"We're late" Gasped Akira as he saw the hour and time.

 _It read 12:54_

"Holy crap! That's half the school day!" Ryuji chocked. Akira had a hand pressed on his temple and had tried to breath calmly.

"Sakura-San is going to murder me." He gave a sigh and hung his head in defeat.

"Listen let's just make it back to school, if we see anything that remotely looks like a fucking castle we bounce and head home. I'm not up for round two."

We all sighed and had hung our heads down in such an exhausted manner.

 _This just wasn't our day wasn't it?_


	6. Chapter 6: Art

**Chapter Six: Art...**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/11 Monday (Continued...)**

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 _ **Author's note: Hello my lovely readers, I just wanted to welcome the new followers to this story, and hope you guys give me your input on how you feel the story is coming along. I will be making a few creative changes. By adding an O.C they are like catalysts, changing the original fate in more than one way. So if you noticed already, dialogue is similar, but not a carbon copy or the original. I suppose I wanted to keep things fresh for anyone who has already beaten the game while still keeping the rhythm of the story. It also has to do with the human psyche and how we phrase our words when someone else is present. For example; take someone away and a not only a portion of conversation is missing, but rather thoughts and rebuttals that the person has influenced. So will the opposite happen if you reverse the process when you add a person?**_

 ** _Update: I will be fixing any pot holes in the story, so please don't hesitate to let me know if you see some inconsistencies with dates. Also, a review about your thought will really inspire me to keep writing. I would love your input!_**

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"You know, following that no good brother of yours will get you nowhere. " Scolded the school nurse. I furrowed my brows at the woman and bit my tongue. "An hour late would have been acceptable given the unforeseen circumstances earlier this morning, but five hours late? Unacceptable Sakamoto-Chan!"

I winced at the scornful lecture the nurse was giving me and it took everything I had not to keep any snide comments to myself. It's not that I was being a coward, it was more so the fact that Ryuji would take the heat for my retaliation as well. He wasn't the type to mind that sort of thing, but he already had enough backlash from the entire school board as it was.

Things had taken a turn for the worst as we had tried to hurry our way to the school grounds. I had forgotten that the nurse had been waiting for me to check in prior to entering my classes this morning. Apparently she needed the information forms for my medications and had been furious when I had the audacity to show up late with the boys. More specifically my twin Ryuji.

She along with the school counselor had been grilling us about how the police had notified the school of three suspected second-year students who where skipping classes.

Imagine our surprise when we saw Kamoshida himself step from the school gate acting as he knew nothing about his earlier run-in with the boys. If only Whiskers were around to give us an explanation, we wouldn't have been at a loss for words.

"What's this? To think it would be you Sakamoto-Kun. It's a shame really, you were never like this during your time at morning track practice. Now you've gone and dragged your very own sister into your troubles."

"What was that?" Barked Ryuji as he attempted to muster a nasty pointed glare at the coach's direction. The student counselor scoffed and ordered him to keep his comments to himself in an attempt to silence him.

Kamoshida's eyes wandered to my direction and he gave a condescending smile. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes told a different story. "Sakamoto-Chan, it's good to see you back already. A tad late, but I'm sure we know who to blame on that." Ryuji growled and I furrowed my brows.

If only I had the balls to come up with something witty.

"Since you're just starting your second-year I hope you can join us again for the volleyball club. We need our star liberó back on the team? What do you say?"

" _My, my, my._ So ready to shape the minds of our troubled youth. _Eh? Coach Kamoshida?_ Chuckled the counselor.

"Of course, maybe she needs time away from bad influences. Our students can be quite impressionable." He said giving Ryuji a snarky smile.

The nurse had been a simple bystander under she cleared her throat and voiced her concerns. "My apologies, but I will be able to determine if she's still capable of even joining any sports-related clubs. if so, I'm sure she would make an excellent edition to the team this year." The nurse gave him a smile and they simply laughed in a jolly nature. it was disheartening to see the staff was wrapped around his fingers. "Now, Sakamoto-Chan please come with me. Kawakami-Sensei may be patient, but she will not tolerate this sort of behavior child." The nurse was probably in her late-forties I could hardly see the expression on her face with the light reflecting off of them.

The school nurse along with the counselor had escorted both me and Ryuji into the school and I could help , but turn back. When I looked over my shoulder I could only see Akira giving the man a cold stare and I could only imagine what was going through his head as they spoke alone.

It wasn't right to have him alone with that man.

Ryuji had told me about the grueling encounter they had with him in that so-called meta-verse. I could almost feel my blood boil.

Ryuji had been physically assaulted by the Coach's alter-ego Lord Kamoshida.

I stared at the tiled floor at my feet and tried to make sense of what we all experienced that morning. Just why did such a place exist? Did we somehow step into a place akin to purgatory?

"Says here you will be taking Pain-medication as needed, and Clobazam once a day after a meal. You can keep the Clobazam home, and I'll be keeping this bottle of Ibuprofen here. Only come to me when you feel like your condition begins to worsen. If we feel it needs urgent medical attention I'll have you escorted to the hospital." She unlocked a cabinet above her desk and put it in a small storage bin with my full name on it. After locking it away she fished a roll of medical gauze in another cabinet beside her desk. "Alright, let's go ahead and change the medical wrap on that empty head of yours so you can head back to class."

I gave a defeated sigh and let he work her magic. I really didn't have the guts to talk back to anyone right now. I needed to prove to the entire school staff that my brother wasn't the savage brute they proclaimed him to be.

As she was finishing we heard someone knocking on the door.

"Yes, Come in." She looked over the door and greeted the other staff member. It was Kawakami-Sensei. When I completed and barely passed my entrance exam, my mother and I had a brief meeting with her to inform her of my situation.

Not that she already knew what happened, I was sure students from all over campus let it spill to just about everyone the week it happened.

"Hello Nurse Hijikata, I'm here to pick up Sakamoto-Chan." I nodded and gathered my belongings. I bid farewell to the strict Nurse and mentally prepared myself for another roast. Class was now in session and no one was in the halls right now.

What would Ryuji say right now?

 _"They're grilling my ass so much I'm charbroiled."_

I almost let a chuckle slip before I noticed a very upset teacher tapping her foot.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you kids are putting me through?" She let out a rather gloomy sigh and folded her arms. "I have enough on my plate as it is, so be considerate of me and stay out trouble."

I winced and didn't meet her gaze.

Gosh, to think authoritative figures still have this sort of affect on me.

" _Sorry_ , it was my fault we're late...Ryuji and I met another boy at the Subway Station in Shibuya and well..., with all the commotion early this morning I lost them and got shoved off the wrong transit exit. The other boy was nice enough to help Ryuji find me..."

"Did you try calling him?"

"I don't have a phone. Mama can't afford another one and my medical bills are outrageous. I-uh...don't know my way around yet..."

She narrowed her eyes slightly before giving another gruff sigh. "You're still way too late. Still, looking into this might just prove to be too much time and effort I do not have. I'll just give you a verbal warning for now. I expect you to behave and try not to act on behalf of that brother of yours."

I chewed on my cheek and shifted my feet uncomfortably. Just then someone else who had been waiting by the wall approached us. A familiar tall young man with marvelous ebony curls and fair porcelain skin. His complexion was undeniably pale, and he wasn't unkempt by any means, which, was surprising givien the fact that we were were all in a muddy dungeon...

He seemed to notice the odd face I had been making and I silently cursed the estrogen pumping through my veins. Trying not to seem like a creep I focused my attention elsewhere. The wall would be too obvious, maybe shoes would be a good thing to distract myself with.

"I suppose you both will be new additions for homeroom today." She paused before pinching the bridge of her nose. "Now, please...introduce yourselves and don't say anything more than you have to. I don't care if you act condescending and wear a facade, just take this seriously and I won't have to write either of you up for treason."

Akira scratched the back of his head and tapped the tip of his shoe on the floor before shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Now, one more thing, I've already explained this to Kurusu-Kun, but classes will cut short today due to the subway accident this morning I already called your Mother and she was very upset with both of you. So fair warning. Head straight home missy. No detours."

 _"Yes, Sensei._."

We made our way towards our homeroom and I began to play with the straps of my book bag to ease my nerves.

As soon as Akira spoke, the entire class erupted in whispers judging him critically. Kawakami-Sensei had both of us introduce ourselves to the class and assigned us to take whatever empty seat we had. Ultimately I took the seat in the third row away from the door behind an delicate young man with dark teal hair.

Normally I'd want to shrink in my seat and probably try not to draw attention to myself, but after hearing the rude and inconsiderate comments people had been throwing around really started to make my blood boil. Their voices drew and overlapped one another, but the jist of them all had been the same.

 _"Don't look at him, he might just lose it. He's a freak."_

 _"Great, a fucking psychopath in the class."_

 _"Hey look Sakamoto-chan's back...!"_

 _"Did you hear? Apparently the guy's got a record. They say it was assault charges."_

 _"Sakamoto-chan has guts to stand next to creep like him."_

 _"Wasn't she in the Junior Varsity team for volleyball last year?"_

 _"Do you think her twin had something to do with the accident?"_

 _"Pretty sure Sakamoto-Kun got jealous of his sister and sabotaged the entire thing."_

 _"Wasn't he kicked off of the track team this year?"_

 _ **...What?**_

I felt a small frown from my lips and I had realized that Ryuji had never really talked too much about his status in the track team. Mother wouldn't tell me much of that either.

"Did you miss practice again today? Won't the coach be upset if he saw you crawling back?" I asked a little more than concerned. I had heard enough to know that something was not quite right about the new Coach that was now teaching at the High School I was attending.

He scratched the back of his head and muttered something along the lines of, "Don't worry about it."

Were they hiding something from me? Why would they hide something like that from me?

I had frowned at the amount of Gossip people had been spreading about the room. They even mentioned other names of various alumni throughout the school that I hadn't even heard about.

I suppose nobody was really spared.

"Oh crap! Shh! Sensei is staring!"

"Alright! That's quite enough out of all of you. Hasegawa-Chan, if only you dedicated your time for studying as opposed to gossip, you probably wouldn't be on the verge of taking those remedial classes I warned about. Now, Kurusu-Kun will be given his textbooks tomorrow, until then will the people sitting near him share their books with home for the time being?"

Another roar of whispers erupted from the left half of the classroom in protest. I suppose a criminal record is some part of ammunition to use against someone, but this was ridiculous.

"No complaining!" She sighed and added. "Now, who's on duty today?" Just then the boy in front of me stood and asked from every on to rise from their seats as we were to begin our "volunteer" maintenance of the class.

"You look familiar..." I find myself asking the teal-haired boy. He looked around to see if I was referring to someone else before he finally realized I had been speaking to him.

"Oh! I'm-uh. Well..." I stopped wiping the chairs down and tried to remember such a familiar delicate face structure.

I frowned at the swelling in his cheek and the purple bruising on his chin was startling to yellow in color.

"Do you know anyone who works at the _JR Tokyo Hospital_?" I asked looking at his face trying to recall the familiarity. His doe-like brown eyes widened and his face looked a tad flushed. He started to scratch the back of his head nervously and tried to avoid making eye contact.

He seemed rather bashful in nature and I suppose that would explain the odd behavior. People nowadays really take advantage of that, especially if you look as meek as this boy. "I-I um yeah, I do...My half-brother works there...I don't get to see him much, but I did hear he may have been in charge of your case...I wanted to ask..I mean ask how you were doing with coming back to school I mean..."He looked at the floor and avoided to make anymore eye contact.

"I wish I had been here sooner today, but you know, I got caught in a dilemma early this morning and I guess that couldn't happen." I gave him an honest smile and he gave me a rather sad one in return.

"...How did that happen?" I say gesturing to the bruising on his face.

"O-Oh! That's from...!" He fumbled with his words and continued. "I tried to block a strike, but I used my face to save the ball for m-my team..."

"I see..."

So he was in sports, most likely Volleyball since the majority of the school athletes riddled with injuries and the sort had either been Field-Track and Volleyball.

I left it at that and gave him an encouraging smile. And we went back to our cleaning duties. I found myself frowning at the scene I had been witnessing. Akira had been dusting the room and there was large radius of empty room around him. The other classmates were clearly avoiding him.

I started to wipe the desks on the left and ignored the aghast comments my classmates had been making. I wanted to say something to him, but I found myself not being able to for nearly the remainder of the class.

'Just talk to him' I thought to myself.

I might just end up bothering him. I mean...we aren't technically friends yet...but nothing said I couldn't try to befriend him.

I tapped his shoulder and he stopped dusting to turn around. He gave me an owlish blink and I still had a hard difficult time trying not to examine his face any further.

We had the rest of the school year for that. I didn't want to be a creep already.

"A-Akira-San, I wanted to ask if you wanted to join me to grab our textbooks tomorrow?" His eyes wandered to the murmuring crowd behind me and he shoved his hands to his pockets. I frowned and had shook my head at the murmurs behind me.

I let my shoulders slack in a huff of annoyance and I folded my arms. Was he really going to have to deal with behavior like this for the remainder of the school year?

"They act like parakeets don't they? You get too close and they stay quiet, but walk away and they won't seem to stop running their beaks..."

He lowered his head and covered his mouth as he chuckled. it hadn't been all that funny, but I assumed he had found the imagery to be humorous. I simply offered a goofy warm smile and shook my head in dismissal. He paused for a second began to twirl a curly lock with his fingers as if he were being thoughtful.

"Hmm... _Sounds good_. Where do we meet?"

"The vending machines by the school gates? Oh, and don't forget to bring an umbrella...I'd just have to make you carry it again!" I say with a nervous chuckle.

As we shared a light chuckle together and I was pleasantly surprised how easy-going Akira was. I hadn't even realized at the time that someon had been quietly observing our interaction with watchful eyes.

Akira was about to comment, but the chime of the school bell rang and we quickly remembered to finished our duties as soon as possible.

As I was about to bid him farewell before I saw Ryuji quickly approach. His strides were with purpose and he looked very concerned. "We all need to talk about what happened today."Ryuji voiced in a hushed tone. I looked towards the door and saw Kawakami-Sensei crossing her arms and giving him a pointed stare. I hadn't even noticed her discretely talking to Akira.

"What do you need now? I heard that the police caught you skipping class today Sakamoto-Kun."

"Why would I stick around in my uniform if I'm tryin'a skip class?" He muttered something under his breath about how nobody believes him anyway.

"Your hair is still blonde...So you still haven't dyed it back to black like we've asked of you."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry 'bout that. I'll put it on my memo. well _-whatever the hell that is_." He walked past her and spared Akira a few words. I watched the exchange in silence and Ryuji gestured for me to follow and waved Kawakami-Sensei farewell.

We ended up taking another flight of stairs before ignoring a paper reading 'DO NOT ENTER' I normally wasn't the type to break rules, but it's it like other students didn't come here as well to mess around and such.

The roof of the school building was rather cluttered and various equipment pieces were placed near the walls as if someone had been trying to clean it up, but wasn't able too. I also began to notice an array of gardening tools were wrapped neatly in a nook of a desk.

"Are those plants? What are they doing on the school roof?" I ask looking at the farmed vegetation. "Woah, someone's planting tomatoes! Neat." They were carefully arranged and had little paper picks that detailed the name of the plant and its properties.

"Prolly the gardening club's stuff. S'not a good idea to touch it." Ryuji said while breaking into a yawn. He took a rickety chair and slumped into it. Though I did take his words into consideration, I couldn't help but crouch down and brush my fingers on the plump leaves.

The door had creaked open and shut with a resounding click. We looked over to see Akira cautiously making his way towards us. He almost seemed a bit wary, but seemed to approach anyway.

"Hey, man. Glad you could make it." Ryuji expressed gratefully. Not that he didn't believe he wouldn't, he somewhat hauled me along with him knowing he would make it despite the rumors. I gave him a nod of acknowledgement and he did the same as he casually leaned up against a desk across from Ryuji. He waited before Akira gave him his undivided attention and added,"Sorry for callin' you up here like this." Akira seemed to look thoughtful and gave him an attentive look.

"With all due respect Ryuji-San I don't exactly have much free time right now. What do you need?" Akira asked not wanting to beat around the bush. From the sound of his deep vibrato I could tell he was somehow being sincere.

"Oh, I know that look..." Ryuji narrowed his eyes at him and gave him an all-knowing look. "I bet money Kawakami-Sensei already told you stay away from punks like me, eh?"

"...She said you were trouble."Akira voiced prudently.

I let out and thoughtful hum before speaking in a bitter tone. " _Of course she would_ , everyone would rather trash the name of a student rather than doubt their own faculty." I rose from my spot and folded my arms over my my chest. " _Funny_...we've been hearing the same about you." Akira visibly flinched and he craned his neck appearing seemingly uncomfortable.

Ryuji didn't hide the growing grin on his face and leaned back on his chair to fold his arms behind his head. "I guess we're pretty much on the same boat then? Not that it's our business, but we did hear you have a criminal record dude. Everyone's talking about it."

Akira grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked more stressed than he did agitated."That wasn't a part of the agreement they promised..."

I visibly frowned and shook my head in pity. "It's actually against the law to publicize something so private...whoever let it slip can be charged for defamation." I murmured quietly as wandered my eyes at the planted crisp strawberry leaves.

"Bet money the school principal promised to keep your record hidden didn't he?" Akira said nothing and nodded. "If you really did get charged for assault...that would explain the massive balls you had to fend off those creatures back at the castle."

I looked over at Akira and addressed the reason as to why Ryuji wanted to speak to him in the first place. "There is a big elephant in the room that need to be addressed. Don't you think Ryu?"

"Oh crap! Yeah, I was getting carried away...Anyway, what the hell do you make out of our situation from earlier? I mean we were almost killed back there. Was it all some messed up dream? Did the rain have LSD in it or something?" I sputtered in disbelief at Ryuij's statement and shook my head while giving him a pointed look.

" _LSD?_ Now, why on earth would someone throw perfectly good drugs out the window on to a couple of teens Ryuji?" I chided with sarcasm dripping from my words.

" _W-what?_ It's a serious question!" He said looking at me and then to Akira. The curly haired boy closed his eyes as if he were trying to piece something together. He clearly was not going to take Ryuji's ridiculous interjection seriously.

"I honestly don't know...lucid dreams are not so vivid and detailed. It would be strange if we all shared the same dream as well."

"Is it possible that something like that can be considered paranormal...?" I asked trying to recall a vague dream I had about an old man named Igor.

We all fell into silence and the boys seemed to really try to take it into consideration. Ryuji shifted to slouch forward in his seat. "Well, whatever it was, we can figure that out later. Still, I gotta' thank you for saving our butts back at the castle."

I heaved a sigh and nodded in agreement as well. Truly, if it weren't for Akira and his so-called Persona, He and Ryuji would have been left at the mercy of Lord Kamoshida. "Whiskers and I wouldn't have made it in time...when I met him he was wounded. I gave him my precious bento to keep him going and if it weren't for you...Ryuji might still not be here...Thank you." Just at the mention of food seemed to engage a reaction within my belly. It wasn't loud enough to be heard, but my pasture lowered visibly.

"No worries. I was just glad _Ruby_ and _Sapphire_ made it on time." Akira said with a low chuckle. I shrunk visibly and he seemed to find my reaction amusing as he tried to stifle his laughter.

"You don't have to say it.. Those names were _pretty_ corny." I said feeling the hot wave of embarrassment wash over me.

Ryuji didn't hide the the snide guffaw as he laughed at my expense. "'They sure were. Should've gone with _BATCAT & Robin._"

I shoved my palms in my face trying to shield myself in sheer mortification. " _I tried_ , but he didn't want any of it! Remember he said he's supposedly not a cat?"

 _"Yeah-Yeah_. Anyways, getting back to the subject! There are a few that are kinda hanging around Kamoshida." Ryuji said with a hanging feeling of resentment. Akira gave a deep sigh and had begun to rub his palm on a tense right shoulder.

"That's a name I've been hearing a lot today..." Akira said I'm a more somber tone. Clearly his day had not been full of lollipops and daisies.

"Pretty sure you have, he's practically an idol after he took the boys Varsity team to nationals. The rumor is that the school board is overlooking a lot of under the table crap he's doing." Ryuki muttered angrily and hit the desk closest to him.

I pondered back to what the little masked creature had told me earlier that day. Something strange an unnatural happened today and if I was sure turning a blind eye would be a big mistake.

 _"Palaces can only be created by a person's distorted ideals and desires. They take quite some time to manifest..." Whiskers looked over at a cognitive student in the cell beside him. "Judging by the size of this place, the ruler we could be dealing with is a twisted person who's abusing alumni in the distorted area to do his building. You said before you were on your way to school...so perhaps he does something similar to students like this guy here in the real world."_

"So he thinks he had some sort of hold or power over the entire school because of the national championship tournament? That might explain the King Kamoshida back at the castle." I said recalling what Whiskers had told me. The both gave me an expectant look and I relayed the details of what the little masked creature had informed me of.

"So those cognitive puppets were a representation of how he treats and sees them by..." Akira said with a low tone.

Ryuji groaned and put his hands on his face. "The more I hear about this mess the more I end up thinking how unrealistic this all is! If it weren't for you two seeing the same thing I think I'd go insane." He groaned and lays his head flat on the warm surface of the desk.

"Perhaps it's best if we go home and rest. I really need to get back...home." Akira said with a bit of hesitance. It didn't go unnoticed by either of us and we gave him a look of concern.

"Did you and your folks have to move all the way here, just so you could attend a High School?" Ryuji asked with deep concern. Akira sighed shook his head somberly.

"No... Their jobs won't allow them to relocate...They had no other choice, but to send me to live with an acquaintance of theirs." He hesitated before adding. "He's serving as my caretaker...a temporary parental guardian if you will. "

Ryuji's eyes widened in understanding and my eyebrows furrowed in worry. " _Shit man_ , so you're in deep waters already and now you're going to get chewed out by your probation officer if he finds out. Doesn't your parental guardian have to tell him all that stuff?" Akira nodded grimly and I found myself frowning.

Even if I didn't exactly know much about Akira, he honestly didn't give me any wrong vibes. Normally it would a stupid idea to hold pity for anyone who's committed a felony, my gut told me that Akira was worth trusting. He proved that much by not leaving Ryuji to fend for himself. Only situations like that would reveal a person's true colors.

Maybe if I talked to his current guardian I could save him from a possible truancy strike and sweet talk him into giving him a chance... Quickly I took out a pen and tore a sheet of paper from the back my notebook.

"Can you give me his phone number?"

Akira raise me his head in bewilderment, but he seemed to get the memo and took out his phone. I found myself nodding in approval of his sheet metal phone case. It was rather unique to say the least and it seemed to suit him.

"Be warned, he's not exaxtly... _warm or welcoming..._ If you can't handle his demenor _don't_ hesitate to end the call." He said with a finality. Honestly it did stirr a bit of uneasiness in my gut, but I felt it was only proper to save him and his family the grief after saving our hides.

I quickly wrote down the number and we all decided to head out shortly after. We bid our farewells to the tall and quiet mysterious transfer student.

"Here." Ryuji said handing me his bento box. My eyes widened and gave him a blank look. He simply shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets. "You said the cat ate your food. You can have mine, but I ate some of it though."

"Ryuji! You shouldn't have!" I said getting enticed by the thought of eating a meal. When I unraveled the dark blue linen and opened the container of food my face fell immediately. I gave Ryuji a deadpan face and looked back at the container.

An eighth of rice and an untouched platter of sauteed veggies.

 _I felt-no NEEDED to rephrase my earlier statement of gratitude._

"Ryuji...You _reall_ y shouldn't have."

He looked defensive and barked back with a lack of shame. "Hey! You're lucky I decided not to! How was I supposed to know you didn't eat squat?"

Though I was grateful for at least something-if anything...I was not happy with how warm the vegetables had gotten. I suppose it could have been worse. As soon as I finished I proceeded to make a daring phone call to Akira's parole officer Sakura-San.

As Ryuji's phone rang I was struggling to keep my breath steady as I waited for an answer. A gruff and dominant voice spoke and I felt my heart drop slightly.

"Hello. This is Cafe Leblanc. What can I do you for?" His voice was rather rough around the edges and I had to clear my throat to keep my voice level.

"Hello! Yes, Can I speak to Mr. Sojiro Sakura?" His voice seemed to shift into a cautious and grave tone.

"Who is this?" He demanded with no hint of humor tracing his voice.

"I'm sorry sir, My name is Sakamoto, Ryoko. I'm calling in behalf of Kurusu-Kun and myself to apologize for the inconvenience I may have caused either of you today..." I felt a lump in my throat and tried to take a deep breath. "You see it's my fault that he ended up so late in the first place..."

" _Listen young lady_ , I don't need to hear any more excuses. I gave that young man a fair warning this morning."

"I understand, but please give me a moment of your time to hear me out. I promise it will be quick and painless." I said trying to muster every ounce of sincerity I had within me. Gosh darn I was really starting to sound like a panhandler with all the begging and pleading today.

"..." I heard a very exhausted sigh on the other end and Ryuji had ducked his head closer to mine, just so he could listen in as well. "Alright, Fine...I do have to ask. Are you perhaps a friend of his or...?"

I paused for a second until I truly comprehended the question he asked of me. "O-Oh! N-No sir! It's not like that if that's what you mean!" Ryuji gawked and put a palm in his face at the second-hand embarrassment. Ryuji whispered and told me to compose myself and I took another deep breath. "I would like to think that he and I are friends Sakura-San."

"Alright then. _Ryoko_ , Was it? I'll hear you out just this once. I can't promise I'll go easy on your friend the next time around." I was weary at how he pronounced the word friend, but I suppose it was a start.

In order to get on his good side I had decided to keep the story similar to what we had gone through the day. I explained how Ryuji and I ran into Akira earlier that morning during the downpour and made small talk with him. I simply told him I lost sight of them and how I realized I had gotten of the wrong transfer.

Yeah, well maybe not so similar...

I really hated the idea of using my disability as a means to bail Akira out, but I felt like I at least owed him this much. So, I did let him know of my situation and he didn't seem at all concerned over it.

I figured maybe he was good at catching liars, even if it had a few half truths.

...If anything I would be able to show him proof if he decided to call me out on my bluff. This brain of mine was a true mystery, or rather I was such an idiot that God or Lucifer didn't want me.

"...As of recently, I've been recently discharged from the hospital after a nasty sports injury. I was actually due back to attend high school today."

I paused and he ushered me to continue. "Alright. _Go on_."

"Well," I covered the microphone with my thumb and pinched the bridge of my nose. The idea alone was going to irritate me to no end, but I didn't think of a better thing to say at the time. "...About a few months ago I suffered damage to my right temporal lobe, it's responsible for a lot of muscle memory and at times I have trouble finding my way around Sakura-San. I must have wandered off for quite a while. By the time the boys found me I had been speaking to a few patrolling officers nearby. So when they approaches and found me, it looked a little incriminating."

Sakura-San hummed taking the story in and I could almost feel the man narrow his eyes through the phone. "Now, I'm sure you're a sweet girl, I can tell that much, but I can't have you apologizing for his sake. He's a young man and he has to own up to his actions and responsibilities."

I stayed quiet and nodded. My stomach dropped and I started to feel like I had somehow failed Akira.I rubbed the temple to my forehead. "I see..." I answered dejectedly, Ryuji had furrowed his brows and he motioned for us to get up. I hadn't even noticed out subway line arrived.

"Now, why are you just standing there with that sappy look on your face boy?" I was take aback and was about to ask what he was referring to until he continued to speak. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Sakura expressed in chastising tone. My gut somehow realized he had been talking to the subject in question.

My heart sank at the thought of how he was going to scorn Akira and how awful it would be hearing it happen. I put a hand over my mouth and I could see how frustrated Ryuji was from the corner of my eye.

"Oh? What do you mean you're sorry? Oh I'm sure you must be..." His tone of voice had transitioned to that of playful tone. "-Sorry for making such a sweet girl have a heart-attack over the phone. Here." Sakura-San said with a chuckle. "It's for you."

 _..What._

I heard the fumble of the phone and I swear my face was suddenly drained of emotion.

"...Hello?" Spoke a familiar stoic tone.

"...Akira-san…?" I voiced with in an uneasy tone. It was thanks to Akira's caretaker I was about to have an anxiety attack. I shook my head and let out a nervous heave that sounded close to a cough.

"Ryoko-San..."Akira said with a sigh with what I assumed to be relief. ". _..forgive me_ , I didn't expect him to take his joke that far...let alone joke around in the first place. Are you okay?" He asked with concern lacing his voice. I inhaled deeply and felt a a wave of despair slowly begin to lift.

"I-I though you just moved in? From the way you warned me earlier I didn't think you two were close...?" I inquired thoughtfully.

"...We're certainly not." Akira clearly begging to differ.

This seemed to pose a rather odd predicament, I hadn't at all imagined I would already be speaking to him on a phone-by-phone basis. Somehow I imagined the feeling may have been mutual. Here he was, transferring to a different city and already making questionable acquaintances with an amnesiac and her rowdy twin.

"...I believe he has...a soft spot for _women_." He seemed to answer inquisitively. Not that I actually asked, but he probably found the need to clear the whole phone fiasco out.

"Ah, I see, I did owe this much anyway..." I said. I dried my sweaty hand on my blazer and held on to the handrail for support, "Well then, we'll see you tomorrow Akira-San." Ryuji gestured the phone towards himself wanting to speak as well.

"Yeah, man. Better not ignore us dude! See ya' around."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

With that we really bid him farewell and when I hung up and shakily handed the cellphone back Ryuji I used his shoulder as support. "My heart was about ready to burst, Sakura-San has a twisted sense of humor."

"No kiddin'. So, uh-what were you and Akira talking about?" He asked narrowing his eyes at me. "You seemed really into it."

"Hey, now. We've only known him for a day, things like that take time. You know I hate spontaneous flings."

"Doesn't take an astronaut to see that a mile away. Not like I'll let you date a guy like that. Has to get by me first."

"No, I'm certain you would deny any guy if you could. Want me to do the same?"

"What? Shit! No..." Ryuji's eyes widened and he held his hands up in defeat. "Still, I'm the man of the house I should at least have a say when the day comes...don't I?" He said without a hint of humor in his voice. I tried to find a trace of dishonesty, but I found none whatsoever.

Of course it would mean something to him. Our father was no longer welcome in our lives. He didn't deserve it. Ryuji being the only male in the house made him that pillar of strength...

Pillar of strength.. _.Father.._.

I sighed and my heart began to ache for some reason... "You're such a pain sometimes Ryuji...but I guess that sounds fair." I said with a growing smile.

On our way home Ryuji had been looking at brochure with add listings that were from the Shibuya area. One of them had been for an Memento Gift shop. I would need a part-time to support the family. Mother was barely scraping by and with two growing teenagers...things were going to get more difficult for her.

I would have to call them as soon as I got cleaned up back home. I needed sustenance immediately and a shower was more than desired at the moment. Later that evening after I had a proper meal and was able to wash away the filth and grime from my body.

Ryuji had learned more or less how to wrap the medical gauze on my head and though it was a tad loose than Mother's was it was still deemed acceptable enough to sleep in. He bathes a little while after and I waited for him in the kitchen to prepare our boxes bento for the next day.

I made bento again that night with Ryuji and he still frowned at the amount of vegetables I was playing in his boxed bento. We were actually not looking forward to Mother's reaction when she came home.

She wasn't the type of Mother to yell or to punish.

No, she cried... _she always did_.

It was as if she were blaming herself for being a terrible role-model...or a terrible Mother. It would always be hard to get her to see otherwise.

It was the same this night as well... from the kitchen island we saw her walk in through the front door with a forlorn look on her tired and beautiful face, I felt my eyes water and my throat tighten.

"Ma'..." Ryuji whispered, his brows furrowed with a look of guilt.

She gave us a grave and somber look and let herself fall into the couch. She took her black cooking cap off and seemingly played with the straps against her calloused fingers.

"...Sometimes I wonder whether I'm doing the right thing." She paused before wiping a tear from her puffy red eyes in vain and more began to fall freely on her cheek. "I begin to think that maybe your Father was right...maybe I'm a good for-nothing who's only purpose is to cook and feed. Who am I to think I can lead a family...?" She clutched her cap in her fingers and shook violently with a fit of sobs.

"Mama...! We didn't even look at one another to know she needed us. We rushed out of the small cramped kitchen and made our way to her in the modest living room. I sat on the armrest and took her in my arms as I felt my chest tightened ready to relieve the tears I was ultimately about to shed. "Mama...please don't cry...none of it is your fault." I felt her lean her head against my chest and my voice cracked as I tried to speak through heavy tears.

"Hey. Mama' look at me. Listen, to me." Ryuji said kneeling in front of our mother. "Don't you _ever_ say that..! That man isn't here anymore. Look at me." He said softly brushing his fingers on her face. "Look at me Mama'...You've done _nothin'_ wrong...I'm an idiot and I mess up sometimes, but that doesn't make you a lesser Mother than you already are. You're beautiful, kind..and we will always love you. _You hear_?"

"I'm so sorry _Ryuji...Ryoko_..."

I shushed her and gave her a kiss on her cheek as forehead. "Mama' Ryuji has a point, we're going to make mistakes sometimes, we have to learn one way or another, but just know...we will always love you."

"I love you, my babies...my twins."

I looked over at Ryuji and his eyes were glassy like he tried holding back his tears. One thing was certain...for Ryuji, Mama' would always be his soft spot.

That night we moved our twin mattress into Mother's room for the night and we slept in her room to keep her company. It just didn't feel right to let her sleep in an empty room by herself.

* * *

 **Diary Entry Date:**

 **04/12 Tuesday**

* * *

The next morning we got prepared for school and was satisfied in wearing a clean blazer.

I knew now to avoid a close proximity to the curb to avoid another tragedy. Ryuji had been less fussy today about carrying the umbrella and the trip to school had been surprisingly uneventful.

I did make it a point to Ryuji to show up early and wait for Akira by the vending machines. I fixed the burgundy beanie on my head and tested the grip, hoping it wouldn't come undone. I ran my fingers above my right ear and I felt like it was starting to turn into a habit. I felt someone jab at my side and stared at Ryuji accusingly. "Ow?"

"Specs twelve O'clock." I narrowed my eyes and then looked forward to see the tall and mysterious transfer student with a black umbrella in his skin ivory fingers. I gave a small wave of my hand and Ryuji offered his shit-eating grin. "Sup, Dude!"

"Good Morning Akira-San Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning." He loosed his shoulders slightly and put his other hand in his pocket. "Well, more or less...I'd kill for my old mattress back..." he quickly covered his mouth to let out a low yawn. We looked at each other and feigned a nervous laugh. Akira seemed to realize his words and shook his head taking it seriously."I'm...kidding."

We snickered and I smiled warmly. "So are we. C'mon now, would we really ask you to spend time with us if we really thought you were a bad guy?"

"Yeah man, we were just messin' around. Alright let's head in, this rain is starting to become a pain in my ass." He massaged right shoulder with his free hand in protest. "My arm is getting kinda' tired."

I gave a huffed sigh in return and rolled my eyes at Ryuji's attitude. "And here I thought you were getting less antsy Ryu..." I motioned towards the entrance of the school. "Alrighty! Let's head on in boys."

The day went on by and after second period I had decided to pay closer attention to the lessons after getting called on during class. Needless to say, it was humiliating...

Failed that question with flying colors.

I started to quiver at the thought of getting called on in arithmetic's...Math was not my strong point either. I wondered if the old Ryoko was similar in that aspect.

The day went by with the usual tremors of school life. I didn't see Akira during lunch and I did remember that he might need some space or something to that extent. When school ended I started to clean the chalkboard with a cleaning solvent. I was albeit vertically challenged, but I made it work with a chair.

"...Looks a little dangerous." I looked over to see Akira with his hands in his pockets looking as bored and cool as ever.

"The chair is a little 'iffy at best, but I can manage. Mind holding the seat for me?" He played with a particular curly lock between his fingers and nodded.

As I was wiping the whiteboard something in my head sent a wave primal instinct through my body, I could hear something fast in the air wiping my direction. Or more like his direction...

I spun around and like a whip arm blocked and bounced off offending object. The object ricocheted on a desk a few rows away before landing softly on the ground. It was a chalkboard eraser. My forearm had hit the plastic back and a pink shape began to form over my skin.

Everyone in the class grew silent and gawked it like some sort of tourist attraction. If it had hit Akira, he would have had to deal with chalky hair. For people who feared his delinquent status they sure had a lot of balls.

Tsukishima's half brother's eyes widened. " _Liberó_..."

I simply shook my head in disapproval and finished cleaning before I could hear another word from any of them. I used Akira's shoulder to hop down and gathered my things. "Are you finished Akira-San?" I asked a bit urgently. He nodded and I gestured towards the door. We should probably leave. "They have a beehive mind...Mind if you text Ryuji to meet me at the front. I won't make you stay since I know you're tight on curfew."

He wiped his phone on his blazer and held his phone out to me. Cautiously I held it with two hands, it looked like a new model and I would forever hate myself if I was responsible for any sort of damage.

 _Akira's Phone: Hey, Ryu, I'm using Akira-San's phone. We'll meet you at the front of the school gate._

 _Ryuji: Kay. see ya there_

"Sakura-San is more concerned with my school attendance...he won't mind if I'm a bit late." He shrugged his shoulders and played with that particular curl I had been noticing. "...I'll just tell him I missed the first transfer home."

I stopped walking and shook my head disapprovingly. "Oh mercy, this town has claimed its latest victim. You've been influenced!

"Well...I do have a reputation to uphold. Would hate to tarnish that already."

We waited idly for Ryuji and he seemed to have a thoughtful look on his face. It diminished immediately as soon as he had seen us waiting by the steps. He let out a yawn and gestured towards the vending machines. It wasn't hard to clear a blast radius of people when we walked towards an area.

I suppose that would be helpful if anyone decided to eavesdrop. They would look a little more than obvious if they did.

"You know I've been wondering if we could try and recreate the day we ended up in that castle..."

I gave him an incredulous stare and folded my arms. "That sounds like a terrible idea. What are we going to do if we do end up finding it Ryu?"

"Well, we can't leave it alone! Something in my gut keeps tellin' me that we have to go back."Ryuji said voice filled conviction. "I... _may or may not_ have brought some stuff with me to help us explore the castle...in case we do end up finding it." He said after pulling out a gym bag. It was blue, but it looked like one or two items were a tad long with the way they were stretching the bag.

"Did you actually skip class to bring that?"

"I have physical education before Lunch, I had more than enough time to pawn a bit of my old stuff to buy these. Whiskers used a slingshot to take down those pixies right? Won't that mean a bibi-gun could do the same?" He said with a growing grin. He looked rather excited and I looked to see what Akira's thoughts were.

"I suppose I do sort-of know how to take their masks off. We would probably provide you support if anything Akira-San." He looked like he was in deep thought and shifted his eyes from the blue gym bag and back to Ryuji.

"You might be onto something..." Akira sighed and nodded his head with a newfound determination. "I'm in."

I was a little surprised to see him on board with an idea as ridiculous and ludicrous as this. However, with Akira on board, we could try to solve the mystery of pervert castle. I wondered why the place would have such a name. I would always doubt the credibility of the school rumors, but a common topic of gossip apart from Akira's criminal record had been that of an Takamaki, Ann. Everyone supposedly claimed that she and the egotistical coach were supposedly seeing each other.

The thought a man his age trying to romance a girl my age made me feel violently sick. Maybe there might have been some truth to it, when we left yesterday I remembered that little notification Akira had received on his phone after we left.

"Hey, you were using Google Maps yesterday right? Do you remember the location yesterday?" Asked Ryuji pointing at Akira's phone. He looked a little perplexed and opened the navigation app. We leaned in a bit closer and we were able to see pinpoints of location and pictures of any known landmarks. I could practically feel our body warmth as one at this point. Not that I would mind, Akira was quite dashing...

"None of these are Perverts Castle." I mouthed softly as examined the contents of the digital map.

"Pervert Castle? What's that?"

"Remember that voice notification Akira-San received yesterday after we made it back? It said something like, "Now in leaving Pervert Castle." Akira nodded and tried to type it in his search bar. The search results were not exactly what we had in mind and to be quite frank I rolled my eyes as Ryuji made a few cracks about bookmarking one of them.

Akira tried rephrasing it and in the middle of his text a ominous red icon popped up on the screen. He sighed deeply with a hint of growing frustration lingering in his voice.

"What the hell is that?"Asked Ryuji leaning in closer.

"I have no idea. I'm starting think it's virus..." Akira said before pulling the icon into the trash bin. We found out it was in vain however, because as soon as he deleted it the icon would stubbornly pop its way back into the screen.

"Have you tried opening it?" Akira gave him a look and raised a brow.

"If it is a virus it would finish running and have complete access to his phone." I say with a shake of my head. "But is strange, when did it first pop up?"

"It was on night before I was supposed to attend school. It only shows up when I open up the navigation system on my phone."

Something in my gut had been telling me that there was something more to this app than meets the eye. I don't know what compelled me to say it, but I dared him to press the icon and without hesitation he complied.

The same android-like voice spoke. "Please enter your Destination." Ryuji's mouth dropped and I gave an all-knowing look at the boys.

Akira nodded and voiced smoothly."Pervert Castle."

The phone confirmed the input with a 'ding!' And it added,"Now giving coordinates to... _Pervert...Castle_."


	7. Chapter 7: Thou

**Chapter Seven: Thou...  
**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/12 Tuesday**

 **Author's Note: Hello my lovely readers. I just wanted to thank you for your lovely comments and I'm happy to say that this is actually the longest I've ever kept my attention on a story of this caliber type. I just wanted to give you guys a heads up that I will be making a few creative changes to the story. I'm going to give Shadows and Persona's a bit more of a paranormal roles than in the original plot and try to focus on a bit of world building in the process. Hopefully I don't get too much heat over this.**

 **Please leave a comment even if it's anonymous. Your input really give me the right motivation to update and I really appreciate it. I'd love to hear what you would like to see develop in the further future.**

 **Thank you.~**

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Once again I found myself marveling at the magnitude of the castle from the mote. I hadn't even realized how strong the river currents than ran underneath the bridge had been. Forget crocodiles and alligators, the rapids alone would drag your corpse into the depths of the mote.

That explained the rivers passing throughout the dungeons...the canals would potentially deter anyone from trying to escape.

It was a barrier that separated the prisoners from freedom and it was doing as was intended too. Much to the prisoners misfortune.

That's definitely not the way to go out.

Ryuji looked over to the front entrance of the castle and gave a relieved sigh as he realized the doors were closed shut. We would risk being spotted from a far distance.

Akira had positioned himself upfront and he seemed to feel a bit too comfortable and lax in his sleek noir attire. Why, he looked something akin to a cat burglar...

"Yo, Akira." I gave Ryuji an accusing glare at his direction. He had forgotten about our names. "S-Sorry."

He looked back and shoved his scarlet-gloved hands into his coat pockets. "You look way too casual in that outfit bro." Ryuji said as he narrowed his eyes. Akira looked a little perturbed and tilted his head. Akira then straightened out his slouched form.

"I beg your pardon? I've been wearing this all week." Akira seemed genuinely confused. Had he noticed any difference at all?

"What do you mean all week? Dude looks at yourself! Your clothes changed!" Ryuji accused gesturing his free hand to point at Akira's collar and then to his coattails. Akira took a step back and pulled his hands out of his pockets in shock. He began to pull the bright red fabric on his gloved palms and examined his outfit more closely.

I was truly perplexed as well. Whiskers hadn't mentioned anything about Akira's odd predicament.

Perhaps he didn't think that we would ever want to return to such a place. So, would inform someone of a world they might not ever come back too?

"Do you have any control over the change? Does it do anything?" I asked folding my arms over my chest. Akira began to trace his fingers against his mask and removed it revealing dark gray eyes.

"No...It may sound strange but..." I imagine he was trying to find the right words to say. Akira closed his eyes for a brief second and opened them slowly. "It's as if my chest feels lighter and the stagnant air around me is a breath of fresh air." He fluttered his eyes shut and his gloved hand ghosted over his face as he placed the mask in its rightful place. "...I feel like I'm capable of anything."

That was unexpectedly poetic of him. He must truly feel amazingly in that rebel get up. We heard a familiar voice from behind shortly after.

"Oh, you're capable alright. Capable of being a pain on my hide." Spoke a familiar child-like voice. We looked over towards the ventilation shaft to see the masked creature emerge and hop off a stack of wooden crates.

"Oh, it's you!" I noted meekly. I felt like he was about to boot us out again. We had caused him enough trouble the last time we were all here.

Whiskers gave a heavy sigh and put a white paw over his forehead in a massaging motion. It was almost as if he were rubbing his temple. He looked at us and crossed his arms. "I was starting to wonder why the shadows were getting antsy." He raised a furry brow and gave us a knowing look and tapped his foot.

"Alright cat! We know what you're thinking. We get that we were all nearly skinned alive last time, but we need to know what the hell is going on here!"

Whiskers growled and and bared his canines. "I said I am NOT a cat! I am an honest to god human." Ryuji narrowed his eyes and I could tell he was going to say something that would mean otherwise.

"Ignore him please." I say stepping in front of my impatient twin. "Listen, we just feel like turning away would be mistake here. We need answers and I'm afraid this might be the only place to get them."

Akira nodded in agreement and added, "You've been here sometime. Care to explain this?" He asked motioning to his current attire and the castle." Whiskers looked at his clothes and gave him an amused smirk. He closed his eyes and put a white paw under his feline chin as if he were in deep thought.

"Hmm..Sure why not?" Whiskers answered sweetly. "...I have a catch though, if you plan on heading inside, you have help me out with a little something." Whiskers demanded smugly.

Clearly the masked creature was hiding something, but there was very little options left. He had the experience and was quite knowledgeable in the ways of the cognitive world.

Akira gave me and Ryuji a look and we just looked back at him expectantly. I shrugged my shoulder and gave a pointed nod towards Whiskers. "You have a good head on your shoulders...your call."

Akira contemplated for a bit and was probably trying to get a better read on the masked feline. Akira sighed and nodded his head. "Deal." He shoved his hands in his pockets and added, "We'll see what we can do for you, but we need our part of the deal first." Akira ordered. Whiskers nodded in contentment and motioned for us to lower our voices.

"Fine, but just keep it down." The small masked feline looked around before breaking into a whisper. "The walls have ears remember?" We nodded our heads and grouped in a corner away from the front entrance. Whiskers sat on a barrel and proceeded to inform us of our situation. "For starters, those garbs you're wearing are only attained when you rebel against a palace ruler. It's heavily based on your own perception of what a rebel might look like. If I recall, you were already wearing it when we ran into you the other day. You must have had some sort of altercation with Lord Kamoshida." Akira nodded and Morgana continued. "They also hold very special attributes. They resist any and all influence that a palace's cognition creates and thus gives you the strength to retaliate. Anyone without that can be susceptible to the atmosphere of the palace."

Ryuji groaned and threw his head up in frustration. "Palace this-Palace that! What the hell is a place? Isn't this the school?"

Whiskers rolled his eyes and sighed. "It is. Like I said before...remember when we ran into that realistic puppet? We are seeing the world through the ruler's eyes. His own desires have given birth to this place, as such...his own perception of the school has manifested and converted it into a castle." Ryuji winced at the explanation and scratched at his head furiously.

Akira cleared his throat and we all leaned in trying to hear him. His voice was just so soft and at times it was a little difficult to hear. "You said before that I was out of spiritual energy. So does that mean everything here his caused by something paranormal?" Asked Akira. Apparently he had been taking my words into consideration. Whiskers nodded his head and looked towards the the towering structure.

"This dimension is known as the Metaverse. It resides between human realm and the afterlife. This place was made solely from worldly desires and sinful vices. It's something akin to limbo I'df you will."

"...So my little hunch about purgatory was kind of right then." I asked feeling a bit heavy.

"Something to that extent, _yes_. Remember the creatures we fought the last time we met? Those were _Shadows_. They are the remnants of human souls that are destined to wander the Metaverse for all eternity. The amount of power that resides within a dwelling such as this...is massive and it acts like a beacon to wandering spirits nearby. Since they can't fight back, they succumb and are influenced by the rules of a palace."

"Like flies to a light bulb." Muttered Ryuji. Akira shook his head and told a more accurate depiction.

"More like flies to a _Pitcher_ _Plant_. It draws them in and keeps them trapped inside in order to feed itself."

I nodded my head at the accurate comparison. The palace was using these lost souls to increase it army and in turning protect it. We all stayed silent and deep in thought when we heard a bone-chilling scream pierce from behind us. We turned around to face the direction it came from, but we saw nothing.

"The river runs through the dungeons, no doubt they started the daily punishment for the prisoners." Whiskers informed nonchalantly. He shrugged his shoulders when we all frowned at his lack of empathy. "What? It's always like this around here. _They_ _aren't_ _real_."

Ryuji dropped the gym bag on the ground and balled his fists in a fit of fury. I held my hand out towards him. When I was going to lay a hand on his shoulder another pressed against mine. I looked over my shoulder to find a grim faced Akira who only shook his head.

"Listen here." Ryuji said. " _Sure_ , they may not be real, but you said before they were going through something similar in real life too. I need to know who and why he's putting them through this." He said before pounding his hand against the stained glass with unnecessary force. I winced at the thunderous sound and I grew concerned over his attitude. At this rate, Ryuji's emotional investment would hinder us further.

Akira stepped forward trying to reason with Ryuji, he must have had similar thoughts as well.

"Ryu-" Akira stopped himself mid sentence probably remembering the fact that we were forbidden to speak our names. " _Listen_ , you need to control yourself. We can figure this out together, but with the way you're acting right now you're going to compromise our investigation." He paused before trying to find the right words. "We can't move on without you, those guys need you and most of all _she_ needs you."

Ryuji raised his head and he slumped his shoulders before turning to face Akira and I. He gave a defeated sigh and shook his head before pulling his hands to slap them both across his face. When he removed them they left two angry red marks on each cheek. He took a few deep breaths and turned around giving his usual cheeky grin.

Akira and I breathed a sigh of relief and Whiskers gave him a pitiful look.

"I uh...S-Sorry. I let myself get carried away there...Thanks man." Ryuji walked over to pick up the blue gym bag and turned to face Whiskers. "Speaking of which the hell is your name?" This of course peeked all our attention and we all leaned in closer ready for him to reveal it.

"Alright-Alright! It's Morgana." He said in a whisper. Ryuji raised an eyebrow and drew his head back. I smiled, finally content with being able to put a name to a face.

"Monamona?" He said trying his best to say the foreign name. Morgana bared his canines and fumed.

"Morgana! It's Mor-Ga-Na!" He said in a high pitched whisper. We all backed away from his fury and I narrowed my eyes accusingly Ryuji. Ryuji held adjusted the sling of the gym bag on his shoulders again. We heard another piercing shriek of agony and we looked expectantly at Morgana. His eyes widened and he seemed to understand immediately.

"What? You want me to take you to them?" We all gave a firm nod and Morgana gave his own nod in approval. "Very well then." Morgana sniffed the air and turned his attention to the blue gym bag Ryuji was carrying. "So...blondie,what's in the bag?" He asked, Akira's interest was also peaked and motioned towards the ventilation shaft.

"How about we head in and find out?"

Morgana smirked and motioned us into the infiltration point. "Bursting through the front door will only cause unwanted attention. Remember my deal? You want to see those prisoners? Well, you'll help me with my own agenda, but you can't do that until you know all the basics. I'll have to teach you, teach you..to become Phantom Thieves."

One by one we climbed up the stack of wooden crates and barrels. The air was stagnant and musty and I felt an immense dread building in my chest. Morgana hopped out first, followed by Akira and Ryuji. Akira held out a hand to me as I handed Ryuji the questionably heavy gym bag.

I sat on the bookshelf and scooted closer to the edge, I took his gloved hand and pushed myself off. Akira steadied me and I gave him an a thankful smile. We turned our attention to Ryuji who had proceeded to open up the bag and display its contents all to see.

Three unopened boxes of over the counter pain relievers, two large canisters of bibi-bullets, a set of knee pads, a model rifle with a scope, a pistol and a shotgun. Maybe from afar someone without the proper artillery knowledge would assume its real and head for the hills?

Ryuji looked over at Morgana and grinned. "I noticed you used a slingshot the other day. You knocked those pixies to the ground with it. I couldn't afford much, so I kinda' figured we could use something similar too."

Morgana gave him a look of approval. "I seriously had my doubts about you, but you might actually prove yourself useful blondie. I use rubber ammo, but I could probably use these too..." Morgana said picking up the canister of ammunition. He tore open the cap and put a pawful in his fanny pack.

Ryuji looked at us expectantly and handed Akira the pistol. "You're going to be on the frontline, take this one."

Akira gave him an excited and grateful smirk and turned off the safety lock. I took the hearty looking scope rifle, it wasn't the flashiest, but I had to think practically. Ryuji and I would play support from the sidelines and I preferred accuracy over brawn anyway.

Morgana widened his eyes looked a little faint. "You look way to comfortable with that monster in your arms." I had been filling the gauge when I realized he was talking to me.

"Oh. It's just a bibi gun. The real thing would be pretty heavy." I said. I secured the shoulder strap on the rifle and Ryuji began to toss a bottle of medication to each summoner. He handed me the last one and I proceeded to put it in my school bag.

"Is everyone ready?" Asked Akira as grabbed on the the handle of the closed door and looked at the entire party. We all nodded and I gripped tightly to the arm strap of the gun.

"W-wait! Hold on." I said remembering the ban against speaking each other's names. "We need code names."

We all looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Morgana contemplated before he spoke. "Frizzy hair can be called...Joker."

"Joker? Why that name in particular...?" I wondered aloud. It had been edgier than what I initially had in mind, but I failed to see him as some jester (or as an American comic book villain.)

"He's our trump card. A spitfire of you will. He's our winning hand." Morgana said. Akira seemed fine with it so we approved. We decided to name Morgana after Ryuji's first botched attempt to say his name. Morgana wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea, but It had been easier to pronounce than his actual name.

Morgana must have felt a bit of resentment towards Ryuji, because his first name offer had been...if a tad petty.

"TweedleDee and TweedleDum?" Morgana offered. He initially laughed at the idea and at Ryuji's seething face, but I didn't care much for that particular joke. It had been quite obvious when I had a frown plastered on my face.

"Mona, I owe you my life...but I'll only let you get away with so much." I said feeling a bit bitter. Morgana gasped and his ears drew back. I suppose his intention hadn't been to get at me, so I found it easy to forgive him.

"How about Yin and Yang?" Asked Akira thoughtfully.

I actually found myself smiling at that. I suppose it was a rather obvious observation in personalities, Akira wasn't an idiot and figured we were twins from the start. How sweet.

"Nice. Yin and Yang sounds about right." Ryuji said with a snarky grin. With the code names settled we felt ready to infiltrate the inside of the palace.

Akira opened the door slightly ajar and Morgana gave a confirmation to move. "Follow me. Joker, stay close in case we spot an enemy."

We took a hard right and headed straight into the foyer. My steps nearly faltered when the room rippled and showed remnants of what appeared to be the school lobby. Morgana urged us forward, reminding us all of the possible danger lurking around. "We have a large group so we can't afford to linger around." Commented Morgana. We all nodded and trudged forward.

I understood now why I had felt out of shape the first time around. Morgana had said anyone without the protection of rebel attire were susceptible to the influence and rules of the palace. We hadn't gone down the staircase and I felt like I had been running for miles.

"I feel so sluggish." I commented absentmindedly.

"Man, this palace rule crap really sucks balls." Added Ryuji. He rolled up the sleeves of his school blazer and wiped the sweat of his face. We ended up powering though the steps, and even though they were downhill, I still felt each burn of each individual step.

On the the way down I could hear the rushing waters of the rivers coursing throughout the dungeons. We heard cries of agony and pain and each shriek made my stomach churn.

Morgana's ears twitched reacting to a sound in the distance and he suddenly dropped and lay flat on his belly. Morgana gestured for Akira to take a look. Akira placed himself in a way so he could move his head and not potentially step on his tiny companion.

"We have company. You're arrival here must have really stirred them up this time Joker." Morgan said while swinging his pawed feet back and forth. Akira raised and eyebrow and mouthed a quiet " _Why_?"

Morgana hummed and answered, "They sense the power of your Persona. Persona are the natural enemy of the shadows. Like animals, whenever they feel threatened they become more agitated."

Morgana looked over at me and gave a pointed look towards the open corridor. "Go ahead. I'll let you unmask it again. Maybe Joker will learn from watching. We might need him to if we encounter more than two soldiers at a time." I nodded and began to steel my resolve.

Akira scooted away and I took his place in return. Ryuji prepared his gun, ready to support and we moved closer toward a set of iron gates. The soldier had more than his fair share of blind spots, so crouching and staying still had proved useful. It was something I hadn't even known until Morgana informed us. I watched the soldiers movements and when he turned away I sprang into action. I ignored the grating sensation I started to feel on my right knee and used his armor as leverage to pull myself up. Quickly I wormed my fingers to grip on the cool metal of its mask. With one fell swoop I jumped away, taking the mask off in the process.

Even though I felt the oppression in the atmosphere, I felt some sort of ecstasy as I leapt and felt the wind lap against my face. I used the balls of my feet to take a majority of the impact weight and and I stepped back to steady myself.

Much better.

Morgana and Akira rushed past me to intercept the enemy. As they passed I could practically taste the sweet cologne that had lingered on to Akira person in a phantom mist. My adrenaline was seriously pumping now.

Ryuji kicked down a few barrels to create a makeshift fort and motioned me towards him. I dropped low as the shadow began to multiply into three different shapes.

The shadows once again revealed into mischievous Jack O' Lanterns and pixies. Ryuji and I readied our weapons prepared ourselves for battle. After a few minutes I let out a frustrated sigh. The Jack O' Lantern had very jerky and unpredictable movements, Ryuji was having a hard time getting a clear shot and so was I. Ryuji had blown of a pilgrim cap, but he had missed his target entirely.

Morgana jumped and avoided a fireball his direction. "We have to attack one at a time to avoid friendly fire. You just follow my lead after I land a blow."

Akira nodded and nearly took a flaming projectile to the elbow. I peered through the scope and calculated the recoil movements as soon as I felt I had lock on. I gripped the rifle steadily and took a deep breath before pulling the trigger.

 _Hit_.

I didn't focus on the small victory, I needed to help take the rest down so Morgana and Akira would extinguish them. Morgana easily plucked one out from the sky and Akira was having trouble multitasking with the pistol.

I had missed a few times, but I didn't let it get to me. My mental state would make or break me in this strange world.

 _Hit_.

Akira let Arsene, the sadistic gentleman crow loose and he struck a dangerously heeled boot into the head of an unsuspecting pumpkin man. Somehow...I just knew those high heels weren't just for show. They were as fatal as I remembered. I suppose I was equal parts in awe and fear of the crow man.

So if he is a part of Akira...Does that make Akira a closet Sadist? I suppose there is a reason as to why people hide behind the masks in everyday society.

Would it be strange to ask him?

Why on earth would you want to know that? Said a deep flustered voice in my head. It almost didn't even feel like my own thoughts.

Wait? Do I even want to know?

Morgana finished them off with Zorro's turbulent winds and all that was left behind had been to torn and ragged coin pouches. Apparently I had been giving Akira a funny face because he casually walked over as with his hands in his pockets and bend down to look at me.

"Something wrong?" Akira asked. I took a step back and tried to think of a half-assed response as I cleared my throat. "Oh..! I was just thinking how crazy Arsene's heels were. Hahaha..." I answered in a half-truth. "They...look killer."

Akira sighed leaned back and nodded in agreement before he pivoted towards Morgana. Ryuji looked like he was a little more than afraid of Arsene. I'm sure he was thankful the sadistic crow-gentleman thief was on our side.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but he kept it to himself. I didn't exactly want to ask either. My own thoughts were toxic enough...

We had spent a decent amount of time clearing the dungeon floor, it weighed a bit heavy on me and my twin as we bore the curse of the Palace's influence. It was taxing to move around. We checked every cell and they were coming up empty.

The state of the cells were atrocious, even though they were nothing, but a cognitive representation of the students it was still equally horrifying. There was a cell in particular that had carved graffiti into the wooden bunker. The problem was, there was nothing available to use to create such markings.

We silently deducted that the prisoner had been using his own fingernails to carve those words into the wood.

Ryuji and I started to really feel the weight of the curse and there were times where I began to catch myself leaning against a brick wall for support. My medical gauze started to chafe the skin around it from all the sweating I was doing and the humidity was absolute torture down here.

Morgana's ear twitched at the sound of metal clanking against itself. By the sound, even I could tell that there was a troubling amount of enemies swarming our way.

"Sounds like too many to handle right now.." Morgana sped past us and we followed without hesitation. He brought us towards a wooden door and led us inside. The room started to ripple and it looked like an unstable distortion of what appeared to be the student council room.

Morgana didn't even bother barricade the door and I was about to lay my two cents before he cut me off completely with a "shush" sound.

Well, excuse me...!

"Relax, the distortion of the palace has little to no control over a place like this. If I had to guess, he holds no interest in this room in real world...Thus, Lord Kamoshida wouldn't dare step into unknown territory."

I suppose that made sense in a way, I had to keep reminding myself that this world relied on will and mental cognition. We stood around for a bit, unsure of what to do at that moment. I started to massage my left shoulder blade and was relieved when I didn't feel the tight pressure on my chest. Ryuji must have felt the difference as well, as he took a few moments to stretch and plop himself on a wooden chair.

Akira had looked relieved to catch a brake and let out a yawn. He then leaned against the table as he tried fiddling with his phone. If we would have to wait things out, it would be wise if we all took the time to rest.

So, rest we did.

Akira took some painkillers and we had to be careful with the dosage since we didn't want him to overdose on us here. He seemed to read my mind and looked at the back of the labels.

Morgana walked over to us and spoke up, "Don't take too much of that. I'd hate for you to end up in the hospital having to get your stomach pumped. If you need any medical attention I can handle it."

"Are you sure?" Akira asked a bit concerned. Morgana waved him off and began to groom himself. Ryuji grimaced and swore up and down that he was definitely a cat.

"It's strange, there isn't a single prisoner out here? What's going on?" I asked deciding to take the empty seat across Ryuji. Morgana stopped and hummed before responding.

"It's very possible they've been transferred to a different area within the dungeon corridors. They're most likely in a torture chamber of some sorts."

That statement alone caught our attention. The thought still remained that the volleyball team would be going through something eerily similar to that.

I shook my head and decided I would have to worry about that later when we left the room. If I let my emotions get the better of me, I would be causing our team a lot of trouble.

I took out a thermos from my bag and when I uncapped the lid , I could smell the rich aroma from the inexpensive instant coffee. I swirled the canteen knowing some instant mix was probably not completely incorporated in the vanilla creamer and took a sip to get some caffeine in my system.

Morgana's sat on the table in front of me and tilted his head. "What's that smell?"

"Instant coffee with a little creamer. Would you like some?" Morgana nodded and I hesitated before I wondered how Morgana would be drinking it. "Mona do you...need a cup?" I was seriously contemplating on using the empty bento box in my school bag.

"Just give him the lid already. God knows where that sandpaper he calls a tongue has been in." Ryuji said in distaste. I wasn't exactly happy about his attitude towards Morgana, but I suppose it did make sense. Whether Morgana liked it or not, he was more feline-like that he liked to let on.

A bit of the coffee had been dripping from the lid, but it would do. As Morgana sipped in contentment, I offered some to Akira hoping he would get some sort of energy from it. He had already started eating something and used my coffee to wash it down. The protein bar was a familiar brand I had seen in the cupboard of my home. Ryuji tossed me an identical bar and I pursed my lips. I had than more reason to believe that Ryuji had been planning my this behind my back from the get-go.

"Yin, you really came prepared for this." Akira nodded as he chewed what was left of his protein bar and took another sip of coffee.

"Hey, you did say food helped too..!That, and I didn't know how long we'd be out here." Ryuji said in defense while drinking from his canteen of water.

Morgana had long since finished and hopped off of the table. "We can gather some intel by eavesdropping, we can find a general direction to head in and work from there. By then, I should be able to sniff our way to the prisoners."

It was odd, these two had seemed to do nothing but waltz into my life and I had accepted it all in kind. I suppose my life at this point had been one turning point to the next, but I decided that mulling over the negative would do me little favor. The raging teen hormones were always there, screaming for me to act out on any given opportunity, but a part of me that wasn't Ryoko told me otherwise.

"Let's do it." Akira said dumping his trash into an old decrepit looking bucket. He handed me back my thermos and the weight difference urged me to check the remaining contents.

"Hey...!"

Empty. The culprits each had each a somewhat refreshed look on their faces. Ryuji wasn't a big coffee fan himself, granted it wasn't top grade or even basic brew he never really cared for it much. He was more of a soda guy himself.

"It's strange," Akira said a little amused. "...I've never drank so much coffee since my stay in in Tokyo."

"What do you mean? Is there like a cafe or coffee shop you've been going to?" Ryuji asked.

Akira shook his head and he seemed to hesitate. I almost felt like we might as well be pestering at this point. Every nice guy does have their limits.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. Akira had kept his mask off and getting a better look at his eyes helped to decipher his expressions.

"I don't just live near a cafe. I live in one. The attic actually..."

"And?" Urged Ryuji. Akira tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"That's it."

"Doesn't sound like a big deal to me, at least you have a home." Muttered Morgana.

"I share a room with Ryuji if that helps. No need to be ashamed!" I said waving him off. "So, does that mean you get drink coffee all the time"

"Thank you," Akira said softly. "I only drink a cup when Sakura-San is able to provide me a meal." If Sakura-san was at least a decent caretaker, I would safely assume that he was feeding Akira every day. Well, he better be.

I had noticed a difference in their level of energy a bit after they drank the coffee.

Morgana took the lead and was quickly followed by Akira. We knew it would be tricky to maneuver as a group this size, but Ryuji and I remained a few feet behind. Morgana wanted to keep morale stable and urged us only to battle if it was unavoidable.

We still had the journey back to the entrance to think about and we didn't want both fighters to succumb to exhaustion. Being captured was not an option today.

It took a bit of time, most shadow soldiers spoke of different topics and didn't seem to speak any useful information. That is, until we listened in on more serious group of shadows.

"Dost Thou Knoweth of thine peasants?"

"Aye, slaves art in the training chamber of love."

"Very well, proceeded with thy rounds. thither hath been news of intruders. Stayeth alert!"

Morgana's eyes widened in recognition and on his signal we drew back to regroup. "Based on the layout, we should be able to make it to the training chamber by heading straight down this pathway and past that bridge. We'll eventually make it into a closed off corridor that heads deeper into the dungeons." Morgana stopped and made it a point to sound more urgent this time. "Fighting will be a bit tricky, it will be a tight space beyond that corridor. So, I'll have Joker upfront and Yang close behind support. I'll focus on healing if need be."

"Why me? What about Yin?" Ryuji asked. Morgana simply shook his head and crossed his arms.

"A sniper's potential is always long range. There just isn't enough room for that type of combat there. We can't risk friendly-fire either."

I nodded and agreed wholeheartedly. "...Then Yang should remove the masks during an ambush. That would give Joker the upper hand and land the first hit. By the time Yang collects himself he should quickly follow up with the shotgun for support."

"Sounds good. You can do this Yang." I said a bit excited for Ryuji. If anything, this should help him release any pent up frustration he may have. If he was an athlete at heart, he had the mentality to do marvelous things in this world.

Morgana led the team further into the depths of the dungeon and we avoided fighting any shadow we could sneak past. If we kept our presence hidden, the soldiers wouldn't need to raise security level.

When we crossed the last bridge, Morgana had told us we had a short time window to defeat the shadow patrolling the gated door. It would lead to the corridor of the training chamber. There was no doubt in our minds that the shadows would notice someone missing from a post as particular as that one.

"On my signal, we rush them and hit them with everything we've got Joker." Morgana said. Akira nodded and both fought as usual. Morgana only tactically using physical attacks as to avoid any spiritual fatigue.

Arsene hungrily attacked the pumpkin men and cackled mercilessly. "So many pumpkins to crush. Who will I turn into pumpkin pie next?"

I laughed nervously at his words. Arsene sure had a twisted sense of humor.

As Morgana and Akira fought a stray shot fired from a Jack O' Lantern had hit Akira head on. The force alone send him to the ground and on instinct I let out a horrified grasp. Ryuji didn't hesitate and shot the offending shadow down.

"Cover me Ryuji." I hissed making a run for Akira. His position made him an open target, we didn't need to find out what would happen if he and Arsene were considering out of commission.

I ducked my head, avoiding an incoming fireball near my face and made my way towards our fallen classmate. Arsene's feathers were flapping violently as they caught on fire and he looked very agitated trying to put it out.

"Filthy mongrels...!" Arsene seethed.

"Let's get you out of here Joker." I stopped and called out to Ryuji. "Yang! Strike down the shadows and let Mona finish the off!" Ryuji smirked and made his way to Morgana. Quickly, I wrapped one arm across Akira's waist and focused on lifting with my legs. I had to ignore the unnatural constriction in my chest for now and try to put far into the back of my head.

We didn't get that far to be honest, but a barrel was preferable shelter rather than nothing.

I gritted my teeth, but I was able to look at the extent of his injuries. Akira's once pale face was now angry red. Even though it looked like a first-degree burn, it was still awful to look at. I didn't really know how to handle him. I only managed to brush his hair from his face to keep anything from touching it. Akira hissed in pain and was about to touch his face until I stopped his hand gently. "Please Don't..!" He didn't fight back, but he groaned before closing his eyes. The air was probably irritating his skin.

Arsene growled and hissed in pain.

Zorro readied his rapier and looked as serious as always. "At ease, _Arsene Lupin_. I will assist you and your _patrón_." Zorro said eyeing at an injured Akira.

"Zorro! Heal!" Zorro nodded and kneeled before raising his rapier to cast a healing spell on Akira.

The glow was otherworldly. The light had been aimed at Arsene and glowed around him brilliantly. His ebony wings fluttered and regained any feathers he had burnt off. The flames on his plumage had long since diminished and Akira let out a sigh of relief. It might as well have been music to my ears.

What a trooper.

"You have my thanks, Zorro the Outlaw." Arsene said with a chuckle.

Akira's complexion was no longer inflamed and an angry red color. It was rather fleshy pink tone and I was certain it would take a more persistent effort to relieve his ailment.

"T-Thank you." Akira whispered.

"Can't have our powerhouse go down so easily can't we?" I said softly. Akira let smirk tug at his lips and I dusted myself off and helped pull him to his feet. Morgana and Ryuji made haste and ran towards us in order to usher our group towards the gated door.

"Hurry in! We can't get caught out here!" Morgana said between ragged breaths. Akira nodded and dismissed Arsene before he quickly pulled the lever to open the gate. We all made a mad dash inside the corridor before any guards caught on to our whereabouts.

The sound of footsteps and labored breathing echoed and bounced along the walls. We saw a door adjacent from a staircase. The hallway had been quite dark, save the very few torches that hung from the brick walls.

Unsurprisingly the door was locked and we quickly moved downstairs. Akira pulled Ryuji back into the wall before we made a left turn. Two shadows spoke among themselves. With baited breath we listened to anything of interest.

"Aye, thine Lord's sister wives art celebrating princess Ryoko's awakening. She hath awakened from a deep slumber!"

"Lest we hope the dragon demon Sakamoto doth nye taketh thine lady hence once more." The two shadow nodded to each other and then one broke off deeper into the dungeon.

I found myself frowning. I suppose it would be natural for him to have a cognitive image of my former self. Hearing about some so called sister wives made my stomach churn. Ryuji watched intently, he had been busy studying its movements. Akira tapped his back with an open palm signaling for Ryuji to go.

Ryuji sped off in a jog and you could see some sort of mastery at his jump. His legs were pulled up to his chest and it was clear his leap focused more on power than style. When Ryuji landed on the shadow, it struggled greatly to keep itself standing. Ryuji grimaced and rubbed his knee before stepping on the shadows neck to allow himself there reach to pull the mask from its face.

"Bring it on losers!" Ryuji's confident laughter rang through the air and bounced from the walls. I made it a point to stay on my toes and so did Morgana. We kept this routine for some time as we progressed further into the depths of the castle. Every so often I found myself wondering what on earth my cognitive self seemed like. By the laws of the cognitive-limbo world, I assumed she would only behave in a way Kamoshida would only desire.

I shivered.

The sound of sister wives was proof enough that the man was a sleaze and a pervert.

Morgana dedicated his time healing Akira required it. In order to keep himself from exhausting his spiritual energy, Akira alternated his tactics in a fight from hand-to-hand combat and his spiritual attacks. He preferred the personal approach and I understand why he only used Arsene against any shadow who simply couldn't fly. Arsene must have been costing him a great deal of energy.

We cleared the floor quickly and came across another wooden door, we could hear the pained cries of young men from beyond that door. I involuntarily shivered, a rather common response when it came to human empathy. Real or not, the screams alone would disturb even the most rugged.

I scowled at the pink banner that hung from the ceiling, mocking us with the words that were embroidered into the fabric.

"Kamoshida's training hall...of love? ...What the fuck?" Ryuji growled. Morgana closed the door behind us and seemed to understand his outrage.

"This is it, perhaps we'll be able to investigate the extent of the abuse." Morgana said in a solemn tone.

"Mona, you said earlier that this palace was created by Kamoshida. Is there any way to get rid of it?" I asked before wincing at the agonizing shriek coming further into the training hall.

"There might be a way to expel the existence of a palace, but we don't have enough intel to move further into the castle. We would have to poke around some more to find a map to lead us the the heart of the castle. That would require some time...So, long as this place does exist, the more likely Kamoshida's reign continues."

"So, in getting rid of its existence, Kamoshida will change as well?" Asked Akira.

Morgana gave him a toothy grin and flashed him his set of canines. "Exactly."

"Well, if we have'ta poke around the castle, I'm up for it. C'mon, let's see if we can save these guys." He said before cringing at another scream. Morgana opened the door leading into the training hall slowly. His ears stiffened and he sniffed the air.

We entered through and found another soldier patrolling the gate of the training hall. The area was a massive cell and the screams of agony her more potent. In an area as over as this, working my moves would prove effective.

"I can take over from here." I said in with burning resolve. Ryuji scoffed and shook his head.

"Stay put and back me up!" Ryuji ordered. He and Akira went toe-to-toe against a strange woodland creature with a flower sprouting from its head and a demonic looking man wearing a speedo with a very criminal...tent formed within the thin fabric. I found myself gaping in horror as I caught it Giving me a come hither look.

I took the rifle I my hands and was fighting the urge to bust a cap on this pervert looking shadow. Morgana was also poised to fire. "Joker, take out the shadow with the flower, the rest of us can take out that bedside brute."

Akira complied and summoned Arsene. When he obliterated the woodland creature dropped to the floor and covered the back of his head.

"Fire at will!" Mona said before a rain of pellets struck and vanquished the suggestive demon. When Akira got back up, he dusted himself off and a few stray pellets rolled off his jacket. He raised his eyebrows in accusation.

"Sorry." I said with a shrug of my shoulders. Ryuji and Morgana also gave him an apologetic gesture and we regrouped in front of the massive cell. The sight was truly horrifying. The depraved nature of the beatings really terrified me. Inside the cell, a group of students dressed in athletic attire faced the nets in a submissive stance. All the while, several shadows mercilessly beat the students with wooden paddles. There had been banners hanging around, reminding everyone of the upcoming national championship.

No doubt in my mind that was a heavy motivator as well.

"Holy shit." Mouthed Ryuji. I had seen enough by then and it wasn't long until we discovered the other methods of torture the inmates faced by trying to speak with them.

Perhaps they each represented the methods behind his coaching as well. He used water as a motivation to finish with their trials, used physical abuse to keep anyone from defying him or his practices and quite possibly use social segregation as a means to brainwash them.

They all seemed petrified of the idea of being caught compared to Akira and Ryuji. So much so, they were willing to put up with the abuse. It was upsetting and Ryuji had been bubbling with fury.

"Dammit! The camera on my phone won't work." Grumbled Ryuji. He paced back and forth in a pit of frustration and slammed his hands on the rails. The screams of the prisoners never faltered. Akira was able confirm the same, but mentioned something of interest.

"Perhaps we could find a way to gather proof in the real world."

Ryuji nodded and ran a shaky hand through his short blonde hair. "It's the volleyball team, I'll need to remember their faces so I can find out what the hell is going on after school. I'm not exactly buddy-buddy with them, but hell man...they don't deserve any of this. No one does."

"Well, whatever it is you're going to do, we need to do it fast. If those guards notice our presence we'll be in heaps of trouble. They're different from what we've faced so far."

"Okay, that sounds like our cue to leave then." I said firmly. Akira and Morgana had to agree. The journey back would be taxing. Ryuji still had his face plastered on the cells and it had taken him an effort to peel himself away from the cell. We kept the same formation we had and backtracked our way into the barracks. Morgana's war twitches before he ordered us to hide.

We hid behind a stack of wooden crates and let Ryuji use me for support. I had noticed every so often that Ryuji had always looked uncomfortable trying to crouch or kneel. Something in my gut told me there was something not right with his behavior. The foot soldiers were raising their security measures. They had finally noticed the gate keeper of the training room had been missing.

"...Aye! nay one escapeth! Bringeth thy scoundrels to the king! Search thyne Lord's Training Hall of Love!" Said one soldier to the next. We watched as a group marched with purpose down the corridor leading to the training hall. We had realized that if we had stayed a moment later we would have gone through a serious predicament. We had avoided a serious hiccup along the way.

"We can't stay here and idle around. We have to go. Now." Demanded Morgana.

The fact that I hadn't seen any sign of the ladies volleyball team made it clear Coach Kamoshida held some sort of resentment towards the male alumni in our school. Specifically the boys in volleyball team.

Nurse Tsukishima's half brother was also a part of the team, but I hadn't been able to properly identify him through the training hall cells. The thought did make me worry quite a bit. The level of oppressive behavior observed throughout the castle led me to believe that Kamoshida was sexual sadist. The banner in the training room glorified it, almost as if it were a privilege to revive pain.

Even as we progressed, Ryuji and I had slowed significantly compared to the two summoners. My legs were throbbing and they were ready to give out by the time we reached the staircase. It took everything we had to march up those steps and I had to empty my head and try to fool myself into thinking I was one step away from home.

Granted, it wasn't the healthiest way of motivating myself, but it was good enough to keep myself from complaining to the team. So, I marched onwards until we reached the very top. Akira and Morgana took the fro at and by this time, I had grown fairly irritable and practically kicked the door from swinging shut in my face. The cool air from the foyer had done very little to relieve the force constricting my chest. With my lungs working on overdrive from the exertion, I found it difficult to catch my breath.

"Shit!" Screamed Ryuji.

When I saw Kamoshida waiting for us in the foyer accompanied by two high-class knights and squadron of foot soldiers we each let out a surprised gasp of our own and stumbled to get our footing. The two summoners stretched their arms out trying to shield us.

This was my first time seeing the cognitive version of Kamoshida. The man had the audacity to feel ease in nothing, but underwear. His velvet cape did very little to cover him. I hadn't even noticed the young man kneeling before him with a dog collar.

He was dressed in a black tuxedo and looked completely submissive...he was the doe eyes boy from my homeroom…

The black spiked collar on his neck had a charm with an engravement reading "04 Mishima"

Kamoshida growled. "You knaves again? Oh, but what's this…?" His eyes wandered past the boys and he locked his eye with mine. I furrowed my brows and frowned before his face was blocked from my sight.

I could only see the back of a black leather jacket.

"To think you'd still come crawling back after last time. Hopeless fools."

"Kamoshida! You're dead wrong if you think the school is your castle!" Ryuji barked before giving him a determined glare. "Just you wait! I'll make you pay you evil sack of shit!"

Kamoshida guffawed and Ryuji's conviction appeared to have faltered. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Sakamoto Ryuji, Shujin's track star! What did they call you back then? _Bolt_?"

"The fuck are you tryin' to get at Kamoshida?" Ryuji growled.

Kamoshida chuckled darkly. "Oh, you know what I'm getting at. Did you ever tell that little sister of yours about the new name they gave you? _Track traitor_."

I frowned, it was a definite cause for concern, but it mattered very little in comparison to staying alive at this point. It was just off putting that Ryuji didn't have enough faith to confide with me over a sensitive topic like that.

Memory loss or not, I was still first and foremost his twin.

"What do mean by _track traitor_?" Asked Akira. From his tone of voice, it sounded like a demand for an explanation. It didn't seem like he doubted Ryuji's character for a second.

"He made a violent and selfish decision that ultimately eliminated the existence of the school track team. All those hopefuls, those young dreams...were extinguished by a mere first year."

I felt an immense sense of guilt bubbling in my gut. There was a wave of second-hand shame that filled the heaviness in my heart. The last thing he needed was someone telling Ryuji he was the culprit to ending the start of someone else's career.

"He's just like his father." Kamoshida had the nerve to laugh.

"How dare you compare him to that man!" I spat. Kamoshida's laugh was making my blood boil. My heart was racing I could feel the social anxiety trigger the blood to rush on my face.

"So, you're the real Ryoko… _Mishima_. Bring me the girl. Guards! Kill the rest, Don't sully my kingdom with garbage."

"As you wish your Majesty." Mishima said in a monotone voice. Morgana and Akira didn't hesitate to summon their Persona.

"Ryuji, Ryoko! Get back!" Morgana throwing code-names out the window. I roughly grabbed Ryuji's arm and we scampered behind a pillar. My heart skipped a beat when the shadows revealed themselves as two demonic steer accompanied by a knight in sleek red armor riding his own malevolent steed.

"Ryuji...those guys are monsters! They can't face them alone like that! They'll…!" I gritted my teeth and shook my head in frustration. My heart stopped as they stampeded simultaneously. In one fail swoop they completely trampled over our..friends.

"Don't you think I know that?! What the hell can we do about it?! Look at us! Even if I did stand up to Kamoshida...I.."Ryuji cut himself off in mid sentence and hissed as the soldiers drew closer.

"Rise scoundrel. Royal servant! Taketh thyne Lord's maiden!" The demonic steer ordered. Mishima never looked anyone in the eyes and breezed past Ryuji.

"What are you going to go to her? Leave her out of this! Ryo!" I stayed frozen afraid to move. As Ryuji was detained he walked with his hands in the air and gave me somber look.

I had grown to understand that look with time. It was the look that had guilt written all over it. He was blaming himself for giving in to his curiosity.

He was blaming himself for bringing us here.

It was as if his thoughts were my own on that moment.

 _I'm sorry_.

"Ryuji...Don't. We all agreed to find this place! We all agreed to attempt to understand the corruption that was happening in our school."

"Make a move and I won't hesitate to kill you." Mishima purred as he played with a cheese knife. "...Keep in mind that we have a much more desirable Ryoko upstairs. You might just live long enough...if play along." Mashima whispered with a voice devoid of emotion.

Every Single fiber of my being told me to steel my resolve and fight if it killed me. Akira and Morgana were doing the same. Why couldn't we?

 _Then I heard it._

Akira's screams...Morgana's cries as Kamoshida and his knight attempted to crush their ribs-shook me to the very core. This rifle was merely a toy and it would be laughable against monsters like these.

I wanted to do something, otherwise the fate of their very lives would only result in death.

"Oh my god..!" I covered my mouth feeling the water well in my eyes. "Stop it Kamoshida! Leave them alone!" I gasped as I felt Mishima grip me from behind and nuzzle his face into my neck. "Ah!" My knees grew weak from such intimate form of contact and I was petrified to know what this cognitive being was capable of.

Saying the wrong thing to this guy might actually get me killed…!

"Get the fuck off her!" Ryuji hissed before the shadow kicked him down and onto the floor.

"Kamoshida you son of…" Morgana whimpered before he screamed as Kamoshida added more weight to his foot.

"Bastard...if you so much as hurt her.." Growled Akira as he thrashed from underneath the knight's foot.

"You'll do what? Use that overgrown crow of yours? Pathetic! Since you're all going to die Sakamoto-kun...I will give you the honor of letting you in on a little secret!" Shadow Kamoshida guffawed before adding. "Your last track meet ended with a shattered dream...such a shame I had to end it myself. Did you really believe that fall was caused by faulty equipment? Did you Sakamoto-kun?" Ryuji's eyes became glossy and widened in recognition.

"I-It was you…?" He stammered.

"Of course, planned it to the very last detail." He made a distraught face and looked away as if reenacting a scene from a cinema. "Good lord...Someone! Anyone! Call for help! Ayame, get the school nurse please! Stay strong Sakamoto-Kun…you can power through! End scene!" Kamoshida laughed like a madman and I thrashed against the cognitive Mishima.

"It was so easy to toy with you! What better way to destroy the track team than by taking out their star! The details about the domestic abuse in your household was a gold mine! I knew to get the track team off my back I had to get you to snap! What better way than bringing up that weak mother of yours and how you're a spitting image of the man that destroyed her." He said with a set of guffaws.

"FUCK. YOU." I said with venom dripping from my words. How dare he bring her into this. Before I could continue to speak something was shoved deep into my throats and my gag reflex took over. I coughed and bent over Mishimas arm spitting out the contents of my lunch.

A handkerchief wiped the drool from my mouth and thrashed when I noticed the saliva was dripping from his gloves.

Had this son of a bitch really shoved his fingers down my throat?!

"Your gag reflex is so sensitive...We might need to work on that." Mishima hummed.

"Mishima, you look so happy playing with that sao from the material world." Kamoshida chuckled darkly. "Tell you what, you can keep her. She's nothing like my Ryoko anyhow! I'll let her be your own pet. Keep serving me as you do and I'll reward you."

"Like hell you will!" I growled in frustration. I closed my eyes and prayed for some sort of insight. I needed something to spark that rebellion in my heart...

* * *

I wasn't some steel-oil powered machine.

There wasn't a heart of stone pumping ice through my veins. I wasn't a hyper-critical being who expected them to do better.

I cried because...

I knew my place in this world.

My heart bled for the ones who proved they were worth fighting for. My tears shed when pain and hurt were present. The pride I had for Akira and Morgana was immeasurable. They knew the fight was one-sided, yet they held their ground.

I fight because…

I knew my place in the world.

* * *

And so, I found that insight...

In my mind's eye I was able to experience something unimaginable. I was seeing the world through different eyes. Like a live tape; I was able to see two bruised teenagers with dark brown hair. They had marvelous eyes of honeysuckle and looked closer than a bud was to a rose. It was memory joined by two equal forces. In the haze I knew that the two teenagers had been Ryuji and I. Well, my former self. They spoke in hushed tones and she looked afraid of the man that was standing before them.

The man was not their father like it normally would have been. No, this was a man that had just charmed his way into the top of the hierarchy of the school system. This man was in fact their Coach Kamoshida.

I gaped as Kamoshida began to hit and pummel Ryuji into the floor of the gym faculty office. Ryoko pleaded like she always did whenever someone was hurting her family. She was a coward. She cried and she never bothered to step in.

At least not until now.

They were sixteen. She had spend countless hours, days, years crying _...and for what?_ It did nothing to make the beatings end. She was tired of it- Sick of it even. Without much thought she voluntarily pushed Ryuji away from another strike to the face.

The strength that came from that sole punch had not been intended for her, so when his fist mad contact with her small figure, she was thrown like a rag doll across the room. The force was so unnecessary and it was equal to that of a man striking another man his own size. The sickening crack from the impact was enough fill the room with silence.

Ryuji trembled. His eye never leaving the immobilized form of his sister as a foreign object penetrated her skull. Blood. The blood was pooling...from her head. He stopped breathing entirely until his eyes rolled back and fell unconscious.

Unbeknownst to him at the time his mind had blacked out. His brain saved him from the potential trauma that would have ruined his life. His memory had been a blur..the only thing that remained of the memory was the sickening sound her head made when it hit the floor.

Kamoshida was the root of their problems...Our problems. The former Ryoko along with the rest of her life was erased. The only proof of that had been Ryuji and her mother.

And to feel the need to destroy our little family was unforgivable. I wouldn't allow it.

We couldn't allow it. Isn't that right... _Ryu_..?

Like a live wire in mind I was able to comprehend the presence that gave me company throughout the unpleasant vision. Without knowing, we had been sharing our thoughts in this strange cognitive world.

'Not now, not ever. _Ryo…'_

 _ **It's time to wreck a little havoc mis plebes!**_ Voiced a mischievous woman.

 _ **Let us make our maiden voyage towards true rebellion.**_ Cackled a taunting man.

 _ **It's time.**_


	8. Chapter 8: Anne Bonny

**Chapter Eight: ...Anne Bonny**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/12 Tuesday**

* * *

Have you ever been burned by a curling iron or a flat iron before? Maybe you've had a similar experience, like being victim to hot oil in a frying pan pop directly to your face.

Perhaps that's the only way I can briefly compare the crippling agony I felt after I heard my other self calling out to me. You'd think I would be able to understand her voice through the intense discomfort, but I couldn't. The intensity only skyrocketed as her voice boomed in my head.

Maybe the pain was akin to that of sulfuric acid splashed on your skin. Not that I'd really ever known what that felt like, but I would probably believe these feelings might have been similar...

My skull felt like it had quite literally split in two and I was banging my head under what ever surface I could come across to fall unconscious. I would have done anything to relieve myself from the torture. The pain was unlike any form of torment I have ever felt -it was beyond comprehension.

My Inner thoughts were in disarray; Scrambled and murky as they raced and clashed with one another. It was completely primal.

A part of me that wasn't Ryoko wished I had been blessed with that swift end many moons ago. It was that small melodramatic ego everyone has in their head and it was scolding me for everything that led up to that very moment.

It told me that being Ryoko was a mistake. That God himself was punishing me for a wish I made - a wish that was forgotten during my new life as Sakamoto Ryoko. It told me meeting those I had grown to enjoy company with were all in vain.

I just wanted the sweet release of death...

" _A swift end you say míja? Perhaps my Patróna should have chosen someone else to inherit her life, that is to say...before she crossed into the realm of the dead."_

 _Patróna?_

" _Ay, my Patróna was the one that was first named Ryoko. I bear the true qualities of my Patróna -the true face that was hidden under her mask."_

The back of my eyes started to stings as tears stained my face. The pain was grueling.

Somewhere along the line I felt the bile rise from my throats and heaved. I bellowed and and my body shook violently as I choke into a sob.

" _Those who are born as a pair within the womb of their matriarch have a bond that surpasses the confines of time and space. Apart they are strong, but together they are an unstoppable force. So long as Ryuji lives...Ryoko's legacy will always remain."_

Saliva trailed from my mouth, by the time it rolled from my chin it had mixed with other bodily fluids like mucus and tears. I could only guess how charming I really looked.

" _You wish for your torture to end? By doing so, you claim that her choice was a mistake. She, who had beseeched the soul of another in order to bare the mask of the chariot? You are the trickster míja. Your fate was once set in stone, yet you have gambled the odds against it. Prove to me that you can retain the deal that was addressed before you by my Patróna."_

The discomfort had suddenly ebbed. It was replaced with the overbearing force of my own heartbeat. My fingers were liking so grimy and I let them brush against the surface in my face.

" _Your pain will be the price for our bargain míja. For pain will prepare you to endure. To endure, is to strengthen and to strengthen us to rid oneself of weakness… For you see, a woman in a world so cruel cannot afford to be weak. One day you will be strong enough to awaken the voice within your heart, but for now I shall comply with the wishes of my beloved Patròna. Now…say my name."_

The article on my face began to sear my skin. My fingers trembled to remove it quickly _._ In the confines of my own thoughts a name flashed in my head in repetition.

" _Anne...Bonny"_

" _I art thou, thou art I. Thou shalt ascertain the life of another and rebel against fate. Stand before the gods or forever be victim to their wrath!"_

There were no words to describe what I felt then. It was atrocious -and removing the article from my face was singlehandedly the most grueling thing I had ever done.

The most relatable action could have been removing a whole fingernail. The key was to peel it off in one go. The repercussions would be dealt with later. Or so, I tried to fool myself into thinking that way.

There was a wretched amount of screaming in the air. Perhaps it had been my own and my mind hadn't fully registered the situation. It could have been seconds really, but in my own perception it had felt much longer than that.

After the morbid deed had been done, blood pooled from my face and trailed down my chin. The burning sensation had ebbed and I felt absolutely insane with relief. My laughter rang through the air and a cooling wind brisked through the foyer. My eyes settled at the cognitive doll that mimicked the face of my classmate.

 _Mishima-kun_.

I understood why he had such an odd attire in this world. The symbolism of his collar was upsetting to say the least. He was Kamoshida'a lap dog. He was forced to provide his loyalty in order to stray from Kamoshida's iron fist.

He was staring at me with wild eyes and looked petrified. I quietly took interest the faint blue lighting that filled the room. It bounced from the walls in a similar way the glow of a flame would be.

As my eyes lingered on him further my chest tightened with a bubbly of resentment. I had to strongly remind myself that my classmate was not responsible for the way his clone had behaved. I would dare not allow Kamoshida sully the image of the real Mishima.

"You're not the one I'm after." I said simply. From behind me a woman swooped down and landed gracefully before me. Her presence was comforting by intuition alone, it was all that remained of Ryoko's -er...my former self.

She was quite large and could have been anywhere from five meters in length or more. Her large slim legs were accentuated by her leather maroon high-heeled boots that bore an excessive amount of buckle straps. Her frock coat was a royal blue and was adorned with a gold gothic trim that was embellished on the hem.

Her long and lustrous ebony curls flowed freely and she wore a tricorne hat with pride. From the hat I could see two marvelously grand white bunny ears draping from the aforementioned hat. A corset was set tightly on her waist and her blouse was lined with frills creating an open V-neck of sorts. It exposed a bit of her chest and her skin was paper-white -almost as white as her gloves. Various straps and belts lined her hip and held a tarp over her legs. Her slacks were so tight and form-fitting it complimented her figure.

She turned her face towards me and I could not read the expression on her face. Not that I really could, she wore a Valto mask with what I assumed was either a bunny or a hare. (Not that I ever knew the difference at the time…) The mask made her glowing gold eyes visible to me.

 _This was Anne Bonny_.

Bonny... _Bunny._

 _'Oh. Har, Har, Har! Are you just going to stand there and gawk like a goof? Or are you going to kick some ass with me?'_ Ryuji jeered. His voice sounded so close, but slightly distorted as if were traveling through water. I snapped my head over to the direction where his voice was and my reaction seemed to amuse Bonny.

" _Telepathy_?" I thought to myself.

"Your womb companion awaits you _mija."_

I nodded a bit dazed and jogged over to Ryuji. Akira and Morgana had taken the opportunity to escape from their captors and looked at me with awed expressions.

I gave them a relieved smile and nearly stopped in my tracks when my eyes trailed to each of their faces. I pulled my gloves to my face and found myself entranced by the clarity of my sight. When I wandered my gaze to the person closest to me I felt my breath hitch ever so slightly.

Hair as dark as sin, curly locks tousled marvelously over the frame of his gunmetal gray eyes. I felt a pang of envy strike my gut. He was truly a sight to behold, it was odd that at first glance one would easily miss such a bewitching... _beauty_.

I didn't know what else to call him other than that at the time. I had come to terms with accepting the idea that he was a pretty boy...but, it seems that this world had proven me wrong yet again.

In a mental frenzy I tore my gaze from Akira focusing my attention elsewhere. He definitely looked more crisper than I originally remembered. It was if my eyes anew and wild. My vision could have improved two-fold and it was astonishing. I only prayed that Ryuji didn't hear or even get a glimpse of my hormonal fueled thoughts. A part of me was sure he might wish the same if he ever came across someone that was intoxicatingly gorgeous and easy on the eyes.

Apart from the fact that my movements were brisk and weightless I found myself gaping in surprise when Ryuji himself was sporting an outfit that was otherworldly. He however kept a very taunting gaze away from me and aimed it at a very shaken palace ruler.

Kamoshida looked horror stricken and his guards formed an impenetrable wall around him.

Ryuji resembled some sort of hybrid design between a pirate and a biker gang member. His scarlet scarf was absolutely vibrant and contrasted swimmingly with the leather of his jacket. I gave a quickie side glance at the large skeletal pirate hovering above us all and he cackled as soon as I met his gaze.

" _Ay, looks like me mate's not the only one that's changed! Let us pirates show this ol' codfish what fer'"_ Guffawed the captain a smile wormed it's way on my lips. The tension was thick enough to slice. I dared for either side to move and I had a feeling that the boys thought the same. Of course only one member of our group had enough bravado to voluntarily rile the opposing side to get a reaction and test the waters...

"What's wrong _Kamoshit-face_? Come out and fight you damn coward!" Ryuji snarled vehemently. He was bouncing in the balls of his feet and had practically been shaking with excitement.

"You filthy naíve. I shall have your heads! Kill them. Kill them all!" Kamoshida ordered in a panic. Seeing him cower at our frontline team sent an odd flutter down my chest. I felt capable of if breaking him and realized halfway that I had been laughing.

As exhilarating as it was, I was starting to scare myself quite a bit. Perhaps this is what Akira had mentioned earlier. The amount of confidence that was bubbling within my gut made some part of me believe I was able of taking on the world. With Bonny I my side I was capable of almost anything.

Morgana positioned himself to my right and Akira moved to the farthest left next to Ryuji. The malevolent armed horseman stepped on the opposing side essentially blocking our view of Kamoshida. The rest of his cavalry ushered him and Mishima's sadistic clone away from the fray and I felt my jaw slackened as they made their escape.

"Behold gents! Beareth thee testimony as thou shalt silence thyne wretched fools." The behemoth knight simply guffawed in the air and two of his right-hand soldiers joined him in a fit of chortles. Ryuji seethed and a thunderous crack whipped through the air and a blinding light struck past them utterly incinerating a plaster bust of Kamoshida's face.

" _Bring it bitch_." Ryuji mocked.

I had no time to question the choice of my former self, I had to fight and avenge the life she had lost to this petty man. There was no way I would let a couple of ponies and a red talking trash can get in my way.

" _Bonny_ , let's do this." I growled feeling my confidence ignite. Morgana was the first to spring into action and gave Zorro the command to send a whirlwind into the direction of the red-armored horseman. The giant red-armored brute was merely slowed down by the turbulent winds. Akira didn't hesitate and had Arsene follow up with a massive cleave towards the brute.

"Yin! Yang! Take care of the other two! We'll try to hold the big guy down!" Morgana ordered. He got on four paws and let panicked cry as he narrowly avoided a spear to the head.

Ryuji let out a hearty laugh and gave me a knowing look. "Let's kick some ass. Let's go Captain Kidd!" The captain merely chuckled, he must have been pleased with Ryuji's energy.

The herd of steer buffeted and mimicked an action similar to that of mountain goats. Their large neon green horns were another thing to worry about apart from being trampled by their massive hooves. As they charged forward Ryuji and I stood our ground, seemingly effortlessly Ryuji called for Captain Kidds's command. " _Captain!_ Strike them where they stand! Leave nothing but a trail of ash behind!"

Captain Kidd let out a dark guffaw and planted a foot above the metal barrel on his cannon. " _To Davy Jones locker with ya'_!" A magnificent light penetrated from the skies and struck one of the steeds. The other raised his upper body in alarm and I took the initiative to send Bonny for a follow up attack.

" _Tell me what you wish upon the shadows that stand before you. Let your darkest fantasies come to fruition. What do you want them to feel mija?"_

I see, so I would need some sort of imagery of what ideal punishment I would like for my enemies. I needed to let my empathy go for a moment…

" _Bonny_ , make them tremble before my feet, let the world quake and bring them to their knees! Crush them all!" I felt the weight of my words instantly. The command had felt so morbidly natural and a sudden wave of fatigue hit me. It was similar to feeling drained after giving a presentation to your professor with heavy social anxiety. I almost needed a moment to lean on something.

Bonny must have consumed my spiritual energy to to fuel an attack. As she gracefully leaped in the air I could hear her let a light gleeful laugh coming from behind her mask. "Your soul shall sink to the briny deep my friend."

As her heeled feet touched the floor it rippled and a thunderous wave traveled from the ground towards the panicking steed. The action was eerily similar to Arsene's abysmal surge; pillars of stone with crystal shards protruded from the earth and skewered the steed until it dissolved into nothingness.

' _The sound was akin to a thunder clap.'_ I spoke inwardly. This seemed to get Ryuji's attention and I could feel a phantom-like emotion that wasn't my own. My belly was felt like it full of butterflies and it was beginning to bubble with excitement. It was very hard to miss, but it certainly wasn't an unwelcome sensation. I assumed the idea based on twins was that we can read each other's minds...a common misconception, but everyone seemed to believe it anyway.

' _Ah, I get it. Akin means similar…! Holy shit, you're thunder and I'm lighting! I guess we do make a badass double team Ryo.'_ Ryuji simply gave me a thumbs up and we veered our attention the red knight.

"Mona, focus on healing the group when needed! Yang!" Akira looked out of breath and speed away from us the Knight pursued him all around the lobby. I think we already knew what he wanted us to do by simple logic. Arsene was a heavyweight so I wasn't too sure how long he and his Patròn would last evading the bute's spear.

We would have to take advantage of the situation since the enemy's attention was focused on our new possible friend.

Ryuji and Captain Kidd sent a Lightning bolt towards the armored brute, when it did make contact the room lit up with a dazing flash. It only lasted a fraction of a second and the brute was left paralyzed from the strike. It must have been total beginners luck, but we would have to make the most of it.

"Aki-Joker! I mean… _Fuck_! Both of you move out of the way!" Morgana sent a healing light towards Akira and their eyes widened slight as they shared a look towards Bonny.

"C'mon Joker! I don't want to be a Shish Kebab! Let's go!" Had this been less frightening situation I would have laughed at that line. They alone their Persona kept a safe distance and I was sure they were more worried about the radius of the attack than anything else.

"Bonny! End him! _Earthshaker!_ "

"As you wish _mija."_

I felt my energy being sapped away from Bonny's towering form. The fatigue plaguing my body increased and I could feel my face flush from the exertion. Even though Captain Kidd sapped away at Ryuji's energy he didn't look as strained as I would have imagined. Was Ryuiji really powering through this? Because if he and the other's were...they were doing a damn good job at hiding it.

I could feel the earth shake beneath my feet and Bonny sent a crushing barrage of protruding stone at the red armored brute. It viciously impaled him and the steed he had been riding, but it hadn't finished the job. He was still alive.

"Everyone else fire at will! Together while he's down!" Ordered Akira. His was was taut and full of authority, Morgana and Ryuiji blasted their respective elements and Akira had Arsene did the same by following soon after. They timed their strikes one after another and I realized why I had felt so drained.

The stone pillars were still holding up the enemy, if I had to guess...my subconscious will wanted to keep the brute from moving any further. I wondered silently if that would increase the cost of my spiritual energy. Would the attack be timed according to how much energy Bonny consumed? What if I missed..? Would this be a double-edged sword? _I sincerely hoped not._

My thoughts were interrupted when the armored brute cried out in pain. With the remaining team's combined strength he was turned into nothing more than a pile of cinder. The stone pillars drew back into the earth and the floor remained as it had once been. As if nothing had even happened. I let out a yawn and my eyes felt terribly heavy. The exhaustion was definitely much different than before, it didn't feel oppressive or dark...just very draining and sleep inducing. At that moment even the red carpet floor looked very tempting to lay on…

A pair of claws dug into my raven spandex and I would have been lying if I'd say he didn't startle me. " _Nya_! We have to move! They're probably sending a search party for us. C'mon Yin!" Morgana mewed in a panic and tugged on my leg. I straightened myself out and wiped the bead of sweat that rolled down my cheekboone.

"Bonny, nice work." I said before watching her let out a chuckle. She and the other Persona dematerialized when we dismissed them.

Keeping her around was very tiring. How on earth did Akira manage his trek around the dungeon the first time around?

I could hear Ryuji's labored breaths beside me and he started to show signs of fatigue as well -and before we knew it, groups of shadows started to come from a corridor upstairs. Their heavy clanking increased in volume as their numbers began to build.

"Shit." Muttered Ryuji. " _Fuck_ _it_. Let's bounce..!" We silently agreed and started to retreat by making a beeline to the infiltration point.

Just as we made our way past the foyer Ryuji looked back once more and looked jaw-slacked at something that caught his eye. I nudged his shoulders, but he failed to pay me any mind. Morgana ushered us in the door and I practically had to drag him from his rooted spot.

"What the heck are you waiting for! Let's go!" Morgana questioned angrily. Once he snapped out his daze and noticed the esquire shadows heading our way and rushed inside. Morgana and Akira shoved a plank of wood between the door handles to buy us time for our escape.

We would need to bring chains and a padlock next time to keep this as our permanent entry point. That would definitely make things alot easier...

' _Takamaki..?'_ Ryuji mentally voiced. An image of a classmate I had for homeroom appeared in my head. The image was rather odd, given the fact that she had provocative lingerie and a crown...but I somehow I figured he had seen a cognitive creation Kamoshida had made...and by the look on his face he was not very happy.

"Hey there isn't time for daydreaming. Let's talk about it after we make it out of here alive, thank you!" I said before tugging at his sleeve. He brushed my hand off and growled in defeat.

Akira crawled out first, followed by Morgana and I. Ryuji had uncharacteristically stayed quiet after we made our way outside.

"We need to get past the drawbridge quickly...It would be troubling if they decided to rush through the front entrance to stop us." Akira voiced with concern lacing his voice. The thought alone was terrifying and we booked our way past the mite and towards the front gate of the castle. As we ran, I was surprised to finally notice how tall my heels were and how comfortable they seemed. There was so much going on that I failed to have the chance to examine my new attire.

We were able to catch our breath and I ungracefully let myself plop on the grimy asphalt. Ryuji leaned against the entrance wall and slid on its brick surface in order to sit down. Akira took off his mask and stood while hunching over himself.

" _Good grief_ …I feel like I'm going to pass out." I sputtered, now coming down from the adrenaline rush. It had probably been unbecoming for a lady like myself to be rolling around and sleeping on the streets like a panhandler, but I was willing to forgo the formalities and cave in to the sleep I craved. We allowed ourselves to catch our breath and two leather winklepickers stepped before me.

"Can you stand?" Asked Akira with concern lacing his voice. He had since moved him mask over his head and like a magnet it seemed to hover over his luscious curls. Absentmindedly I began to touch my face and peeled the foreign object on my face. It hadn't been painful like it had been when I first removed it and I silently wondered why I had sealed a contract with a Persona that hadn't entirely been my own.

Bonny had been my former-self's Persona, if what she said was true, then it had been Ryuji who had stirred former Ryoko's lingering will. Had Ryuji been the catalyst to Bonny's awakening…?

"I...think I'll manage." My voice slurred feeling a bit groggy and I raised an eyebrow at the odd design. The mask wasn't the volto mask like Bonny's, but it did have some similarities. It had the same gold lace trimming pattern, and seemed to compliment the dark raven matte finish. It did resemble the face of a rabbit and I shook my head in dismay as everyone had failed to comment on the ludicrous ears poking from the mask.

Not that it mattered at the time, we were very close to getting our gooses cooked yet again…

Akira offered me a red-gloved palm and took it in kind. I thanked the higher power for the gloves, otherwise they'd be moist by now. The black leather material of the gloved caught my eye and I let myself a second to admire the outfit I wore when I got up from the floor. My forearms were geared up with some form of gauntlets and the looked...like they had blades seemed to jut out of the side brace. Ryuji gasped in a childlike tone and jabbed a finger in my direction. "Is that a freaking cape? Why on earth are you the only one with a cape?" He used Morgana as leverage and used his head to stand upright and gave me an immature pout. "That better not be what I think it is or I'm going to lose my shit."

Akira blinked and seemed to follow his gaze. I allowed myself to examine the cape and hadn't noticed it since it had only blanketed my shoulders and billowed behind me. Ryuji glared at the folds of my shoulders and Akira seemed to realize why he was upset. Ryuji's thoughts were garbled so I couldn't exactly pinpoint what he had been thinking.

"I believe he's jealous." Akira said while giving an amused smirk.

" _Just how petty are you?_ Just be grateful for what you have you insecure moron." Chided Morgana. I shook my head and gave them an look of disapproval.

'It's just a cape _Yang_ , no need to be a poor sport about it-" Akira and Ryuji's hands tugged at the rolled fabric behind over my shoulders and the cloth cascaded over my head.

" _Son of a bitch_. I fucking knew it. I want this and _I hate you._ " Ryuji said in a bitter tone. I had known about his fascination and obsession with hoodies. I was certain I looked like some vigilante sidekick right now.

"I feel like with the mask it might make me look like some sketchy cult leader..." I placed the mask over my face and the Ryuji drew back.

"It looks... _edgy_." Commented Morgana. "More than Joker's magician outfit." Ryuji and raised an eyebrow and looked at Akira. I had always assumed it was based of off a nobleman's attire like arsene. Perhaps it was a hybrid between the two like Ryuji's…?

"Is that what it is? I thought he was dressed as a cat-burglar." Muttered Ryuji. I nodded and Akira shoved his hands in his pockets. Morgana cleared his throat and we all began to listen attentively.

"I'm actually pleased with the potential lingering in this group. Seeing as how me made a deal earlier I do need to address a few things. First off, I need to mold you all into excellent phantom thieves to end the existence of this palace. Eventually you will have to fulfill your end of the bargain by helping me regain my human form." Akira nodded in agreement and Ryuji and I shared a look of understanding.

"...How would we go about doing that?" Akira inquired while pulling one gloved palm from his pockets and giving him an inquisitive look.

"...We would need to head into the depth of a place called _Mementos._ " Morgana's voice grew somber and his small form turned to face the massive structure that loomed before us and continued. " _Like a palace_ it is governed and created by the twisted hearts of humans. Except... they have yet to manifest and grow root like this castle already has here. The common age of rulers seems to be over the age of thirty-five or so. They let their vices and abysmal desires consume their lives and it festers into something like this. Mementos is similar but, it is vast. It is a gathering for palaces still in their fetal stages. _As you are now,_ you won't survive the trek there and I desperately need the intel that pertains to my past life."

" _Sounds tough_." Ryuji said scratching the back of his head. Morgana's eyes widened and raised a furry brow while narrowing his azure eyes at him.

"I'm surprised you're following along, I pegged you for a moron incapable of understanding the simplest of instructions." Morganna quipped. I rolled my eyes and Ryuji tutted in response.

" _Whatever…!_ " My twin scoffed before folding his arms in a defensive position.

He didn't want to give Morgana the satisfaction of knowing he had read my thoughts in order to follow along. It would only wound his pride.

" _A deal is a deal_ , besides...we can't continue investigation without you Mona. We can deal with it as soon as we get Kamoshida's palace to disappear for good." Akira said voice brimming with conviction. He gave him a dazzling smirk and I felt a bit blessed for having the chance to see this side of him that could be a rarity to those he actually knew.

 _Why did he have to be so pretty?_


	9. Chapter 9: The Tales of a Fool

**Chapter Nine: The Tales of a Fool**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/12**

 **Tuesday**

* * *

I clapped my hands and worded a small prayer that voiced my gratitude for the meal I was about to eat. Akira and Ryuji did the same. I was sandwiched in between them at the bar of a local Ramen noodle shop located in the midst of Shibuya.

Ryuji picked off the seaweed nori from my plate and began to add copious amounts of red pickled ginger to his noodle bowl.

"You let him do that?" Akira asked probably finding Ryuji's notion a tad rude. I simply gave him a smile and shrugged my shoulders.

"I really don't mind. I'm not a nori fan myself. He takes advantage of it whenever we eat sushi or ramen." I said while adding Tabasco to my ramen. I eyed the kitchen to make sure the chef wasn't looking.

 _They get really miffed when they catch someone adding anything to their recipes._

"I hope you haven't forgotten about me…" Asked a childish voice from Akira's bag. Akira hovered his arm over the small opening and began cleared his throat.

"Morgana stay as quiet as possible. We'll get kicked out if they hear you..." Akira urged in a low tone. Ryuji was busy and practically getting personal with the bowl and I asked the front house employee for a small dish.

" _Fine_." Morgan muttered in a hushed tone.

"I hope you don't mind eating pork ramen. Be warned though it has Tabasco hot sauce..." I picked at the small pieces of udon and pork and handed it to Akira. Quietly and covertly, he drew some broth from his plate and carefully put it in his bag.

"Don't make a mess. I just got this bag." Akira warned in a foreboding tone. Luckily his textbooks weren't in the bag and I offered to place them in mine for the time being. Ryuji was still carrying the blue gym bag and I figured if we had to bring Morgana along we would need to sit at an angle away from everyone else's lingering eyes.

"What do you take me for a slob?" Morgana peeked out his normal sized cat head from the bag and eyed the direction of what I assumed was Ryuji's table mannerisms. "You know, I never really got all that hungry in the Meta-Verse. So, I'm really looking forward to trying out all sorts of dishes. Spicy food included."

Ryuji raised an eyebrow and swallowed a mouth full of angel hair noodles. "Should you really be eating spicy food…? I mean you can argue all you want...but here in the real world you a cat."

Morgana gave an indignant huff and then his ears drooped slightly. Akira and I gave Ryuji a look of disapproval and I shook my head.

"What! It's the truth! I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for him."

I wiped my lips with a napkin and looked over Akira's shoulder. "Ah, I think it should be fine Morgana. Since you are aware it is a tad spicy it wouldn't be considered cruel. Normally the equivalent of feeding an animal spicy food is similar to that of giving a baby some as well."

"Agreed. We might have to keep it a minimum though. We have no idea what your tolerance for it might be." Akira voiced thoughtfully. Morgana popped his head out the small opening and was in mid chew when Akira slumped his shoulder and sighed. He was clearly stressed and no doubt his probationary period was taking its toll on him.

"What's wrong? You look like you have something on your mind..." I asked as I set down my pair of chopsticks. He stared at his bowl before he began to play with his food. Ryuji noticed as well and wiped his face with a handful of napkins.

"Wanna talk about it?" Ryuji said giving him a look of genuine concern. Akira stopped playing with the chicken bits in his bowl and placed the chopsticks over it. He seemed rather conflicted and drew his hands over the table and interlocked his fingers together.

"...These past few weeks have been rather hectic for me. I don't even know where to start." Akira said lowly as he began to stare blankly at the pattern on the tables.

"Well we just met a few days ago so you don't have to talk about it if you aren't ready yet. I can only imagine your situation is complicated." I voiced empathetically. He barely knew us to begin with and disclosing something so personal seemed a bit privy on our part. Still, a part of me wanted Akira to have the confidence and speak openly about his issues with us. I wanted to know him as he seemed quite the mystery.

"I know," He said turning to us and giving a soft smile. "Although I find it difficult to say I don't trust you. They say a person's true nature is revealed when their lives are at stake...and so far I have no reason to doubt any of you." He paused and began to serve Morgana more chicken. "I see no harm in telling you my story... _and if anything_ , I'd like to hear yours as well if you are ready to open up to me too."

Akira looked at us again and I looked over at Ryuji in an expectation. His face looked blank for a second before they widened. "Oh! Right, I mean it's only fair and I guess you deserve to be in the loop after all you did for us man."

I hummed in agreement and began to slurp down a few udon noodles. The broth had been rich and fatty from the pork and the Tabasco seemed to give it that extra kick.

"You look like you haven't seen a good noodle bowl in ages Ryo." Voiced Ryuji. I narrowed my eyes before giving a small chuckle.

"That should be my line. Why, anymore personal with your bowl and I would have recommended you the sleaziest motel-room in Shinjuku." I quipped back. Akira stifled a chuckle and Morgana gave Ryuji a suggestive smirk.

"How about we give the oaf and his beef bowl some privacy and speak amongst the three of us. I would also like to hear Akira-kun's story as well." Morgana said before mewing in contentment.

I cleared my throat and Ryuji silently fumed as he eyed me and Morgana. Akira straightened out of his slouch and craned his neck before letting out a breath he had been holding in.

"Alright, now where do I start…?" He paused briefly and began to recall something and nodded. "...Well about six months ago I had spent the afternoon with a few classmates of mine to study for final exams." He paused before elaborating. "I was a part of the art club last year and they had asked me if I wanted to be a part of a study group they were holding." Akira shrugged his shoulders and took Morgana's empty plate from his school bag. "By the time our session was over the sun had already set and it was anywhere from seven to eight o'clock. I don't remember the exact time."

We nodded and I placed my chopsticks over my bowl giving him my undivided attention. We looked at him patiently and he continued. "My home was about two blocks away and since I lived in a small suburban town I wasn't all too concerned about making the brisk walk there. The trek there had been as per usual until I began to hear the distress calls of a woman." He closed his eyes and from beneath his lenses I could make out the flutter of his thick lashes.

It was noticeable when one was able to see his face a few feet away. His brows furrowed and I had the gut feeling he was probably reliving those moments. I mulled it over and contemplated to do something and I came to the conclusion that leaving him to his thoughts wasn't healthy. I compelled myself to lay a hand over his shoulder and Ryuji looked just as concerned from the corner of my eye.

"You okay bro?" Ryuji asked sensing the same thing. His shoulder was tense and he seemed to relax a bit under my palm. He blinked owlishly and nodded at us. Seeing this I dropped my hand and let him continue.

"She was pleading desperately for help. The streets were practically empty and even though I wasn't sure of what to do at the spur of the moment, my flight or fight senses kicked in. I even took the initiative to arm myself with a crafting knife from my art club. I wasn't prepared to hurt anyone, more so to defend myself if it came down to it." Ryuji hummed getting emotionally invested in his tale. Morgan nestled into a sploof inside Akira's bag and I rested a palm on my cheek a thoughtful look on my face.

"When I rounded the counter and drew closer to her screams and I felt a pang of dread roll down my stomach. My skin was crawling and it didn't help that the area was dark and had been known to have faulty street lamps to all the locals. Still, even in the darkness I was able to make out the figure of a man assaulting a woman. I'm not going to go into detail as to what I saw him do since this isn't the appropriate place to say, but I'll just let you know that I had caught him in the middle of doing something heinous and _disturbing_ …" He clenched his fist in resentment and my appetite seemed to leave me. We all bore solemn expressions and I furrowed my brows.

"I...can't imagine how awful that must have been to even witness such an atrocity. Let alone being in a situation like she had been as well…What did you do when you realized it…?" I asked being careful not to sound like I wasn't overstepping my boundaries.

"I did the first thing I could possibly think of, I rammed my shoulder into him and pushed him away. He was heavily intoxicated and it didn't take much for him to fall. I had to shield her away from the man and some the cops had been tipped off about a noise complaint. _At least that's what I had been told._ The man of course threatened us and swore he'd ruin our lives. As he barreled towards us I panicked and swung the blade. It struck him in the face and he was bleeding heavily at the time." He paused and looked at our expressions and recalled the further event that eventually led to his conviction.

"Apparently he knew his victim well enough to blackmail her and then accuse me of battery assault when the patrol officer arrived." He closed his eyes and furrowed his brows. I hadn't even felt the tension that my knuckles bore and I felt the second-hand frustration for Akira. "The last thing she worded was _"Forgive me"_ before they took me away in handcuffs."

He recalled the struggles he faced as his parents were called to the police station and his brief trial time. They had used teen angst and a few statistics to mark his sentence. The high school he attended held no tolerance for criminal records and he was expelled soon after.

"Shujin was the only school that accepted my enrollment despite the record I have. My parents and other family members reached out to friends and the like that lived near the area closest to the school. I suppose that's how my stay at Sakura-san's came to be after everything that happened …"

From my line of sight I could see Ryuji's expression switch to that of anger and resentment for Akira. My throats felt really dry and I risked a glance at Akira. His expression was of course conflicted and he was probably filled with some inner turmoil. The sound of the chair squeaking and the sound of stretching cloth made me realize he was looking at either of us.

"I-I…am truly sorry that you had to go through so much...you didn't deserve any of that. You seem-no... _you truly are selfless Akira-san_ …" He looked up and blinked as if he were in a trance and grimaced.

"You don't need to apologize…as stressful as it's been I don't lament my decision in its entirety."

 _It's not like you could have done anything. He seemed to say._

"You aren't mad at the woman you saved for turning against you? Just hearing all this really pisses me off. I can't believe that bastard would stoop so low!" Spat Ryuji. In a fit he slumped in his chair and leaned his foot on the wall beneath the countertop.

"I can't say I'm exactly happy with the decision she made, but in a way...I understand why she agreed to that man's terms. I just find it upsetting that he's roaming the streets a free man and most likely doing the same to other women he's in contact with. When he threatened her, he said he was capable of taking away her livelihood, so...I'm assuming they work together and he's in a high ranking position to be able to have that much power over her."

"It appears you've had quite some time to think and reflect on it." Morgana stated probably trying to decipher Akira's state of mind. With concern I tilted my head at the sullen young man with luscious locks and frowned.

"I've had nothing to do, but to think of that day. Take away everything I've known and grown to love and it will leave me nothing, but myself and my thoughts." Akira voiced softly. My heart began to ache and I was really dreading my own turn to share my own issues.

"Geez man, that really sucks..to think the rest of the world still treats you like a pain in the ass. I guess in a way I can relate to that too...It just makes my blood boil knowing that good people get fucked over on a regular basis."

"Is that so?" Akira asked curiosity getting the better of him. "Everyone seems to be against you at Shujin. Do you have a record a well?"

"No, man. I prolly' got a few citations from school, but other than that my record is clean. It doesn't really make a difference though, the rest of the schools treats me as if I had one anyways. _No offence._ Does that surprise you or somethin'?"

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't." Akira said before breaking into a slight chuckle. Clearly it was his own way of poking fun at Ryuji's image.

I noticed Morgana had been rather quiet with the entire exchange and peered over Akira only to find Morgana sleeping silently.

" _Ryuji's_ _thug life aside_ , I think what he means to say is that you're a kindred spirit." I said in a soft tone. Ryuji allowed himself to grin as the mood had gotten a bit lighter. Akira simply smirked and brought out his phone to check the time.

"Wait, you live in Yongen, right?" Ryuji said before picking off of my bowl. I had since lost my appetite and still had a few udon noodles on my plate. Without giving if much thought I simply passed him the bowl.

"Yes. I'd hate for Sakura-San to report any tardy behavior to my probation officer so I have to leave in a bit."

"Well, the subway is going to be packed. Rush hour is in full swing and it should die down in another half an hour. Might as well kill time." Ryuji informed. Akira seemed to take this into consideration and looked at his school bag and the its sleeping inhabitant.

"There are a few convenient stores out here in the plaza. Maybe we can find a few toiletries and utilities for Morgana?" I asked thoughtfully. We need had agreed with Morgana's deal and he offered to teach us a few skills if we gave him a place to reside.

Mother was allergic to cats so that was a big fat no on our part.

"I should have a few yen left. I don't mind chipping in if you need it." Ryuji said before adding some ginger to Akira's plate. I suppose he hadn't realized what he had done and blankly stared at Ryuji and then at his plate.

"Thank you? Anyways, I think I'll go ahead and take this to go. My folks send me an allowance via debit card so, I should have enough." He motioned for the restaurant employee and asked for a container and we thanked them for the meal before leaving.

We didn't linger around too much and found a drug store that had basic necessities.

"I suggest the small container of kitty litter. At least for now anyway." I said before he decided on one. Akira held onto a plastic store basket and I trotted the pet aisle with him as Ryuji waited at the door front watching our bags.

"This is going to be quite strange, having a talking cat as my roommate I mean. I feel as if I've stepped into the twilight zone." Akira admitted seeming a bit dazed. I wasn't sure how to feel about the idea of Morgana being able to speak freely with us either.

"I had started to believe I was going moment when we made it back and he started running his mouth I nearly checked out..." I admitted sheepishly. I put the cheapest food bowls on his basket and we carried on.

"Same here." In good nature he jabbed at my hip with his elbow. "Admit it tough, it hasn't been the craziest thing we've seen thus far. Or am I mistaken?"

"So far...the craziest has to be the talking raven. Arsene has quite the _colorful_ vocabulary." I said in a chuckle clearly remembering the sadistic and dark attitude Arsene had. This seemed to embarrass Akira and he scratched at a phantom itch behind his head.

"I never said I wasn't a man without faults." He admitted wholeheartedly. I chose a shampoo and a flea repellent and added them to the basket ame I shook my head. My eyes were feeling rather heavy and I figured the exhaustion from earlier was worming it's head in. "Tired?" He asked clearly understanding the strain. I nodded and Akira quickly grabbed two drinks from the small fridge near the checkout counter.

I didn't say anything since I didn't want to assume the drinks were for us. It just seemed like odd timing. His gunmetal gray eyes locked with mine and he waved a canned soft drink in my face. "Would you like something? My treat."

"I'm fine..." I said not feeling completely comfortable with spending his money. I was the type to take advantage of it if given the opportunity and I didn't want to seem like a mooch to Akira.

He smirked and spoke lowly. "I'd be insulted if you didn't _Ryo-san_." My eyes widened and felt my heart flutter as I blinked owlishly at the mention of my nickname. My palms felt a little sweaty and it seemed as if Akira was starting to get a kick out of messing with me.

Arsene was making himself known to me and I'm not entirely sure if I found it terrifying or attractive. Perhaps he didn't even know what he was doing to me.

Well, from our short time of meeting I understood that it was lust at first sight. Sure, he was gorgeous, but I really didn't want to build my attraction to him over something that would seem overly shallow. Arsene was a part of him, and if I couldn't accept that side of him then, this wouldn't work out. The same would go for him and vice-versa.

"Well, when you put it that way, I'm just going to dry that wallet of yours _Akira-san_. I'm a tad frugal and if it means you're willing to pay I'm going to take advantage of you."

He gave a soft smile and I quickly grabbed the most interesting can of soft drink I came across. I set the drink on the counter and waited for him to pay before he took the drink and dangled it before me.

"Don't temp me." He joked clearly trying make the conversation sound a tad lewd and inappropriate. I shook my head and softly jabbed an elbow into his hip. It wasn't all that difficult cosidering the dramatic height difference. He grunted slightly, but broke into a small chuckle and he handed me my Dr. Pepper.

"Alright you win. I can't keep up with your bedroom eyes." He essentially made a gesture of victory and winked.

" _Gave you the Ol' razzle dazzle. Didn't I_?" He mocked. I let out a very charmless snort and felt my body shake desperately trying to contain the laughter. I supposed this was his own way of trying to lighten the mood. For some odd reason sex jokes and narcissistic behavior seemed like a normal way of portraying oneself around their small circle of friends.

" _You did not just say that_." I said while thanking the lovely stars I wasn't drinking my soda at the time.

This feeling felt all too familiar. Perhaps I felt like this was a bonding experience between Akira and I was practically joined at the hip when it came to Ryuji, so this was a nice change of pace.

My twin in question was looking at the catalogs by the front and had a face of longing. I raised a brow he didn't seem to notice us. Morgana let out a yawn and gave a pointed look at Ryuji from Akira's bag that lay on the floor with the rest of our belongings.

"The idiot has been staring at that magazine for ages. He's giving me the creeps." Morgana said trying not to hide his disgust. Ryuji shoved the catalog into the back and of the shelf and sent a very irritable frown at Morgana.

"I hope his tenant makes you sleep outside." Ryuji spat prettily. I allowed myself a small laugh since I knew it was mostly the grogginess speaking —and Ryuji's jabs were always funny in a dark kind of way.

"I hope your sister slaps you upside the head you bumbling oaf." Morgana countered. This seemed to set them both off and the made pointless banter amongst each other until we dropped Akira off at the subway station. Akira was left with a lot of extra baggage and I felt terrible for not being able to help him. Especially with the bickering taking place.

"Shut up cat! Ya' act so high and mighty, but you were starin' too!" Ryuji fired back. Morgana sputtered and if has been human I was sure he would have been beet red.

"I'm a human I say! I-I was simply admiring the color of her eyes and her outfit!" Morgana shot back.

Ryuji narrowed his eyes and folded his arms flaring daggers at Morgana. " _Which one?_ "

 _Which one?_ How many photo shoots did one model have in this catalog. The continued for a short while before Akira had had enough and closed the zipper of the bag and leaving a very small opening. This essentially ceased the fighting and Ryuji then remembered something important.

"Oh! Before I forget. Are you on Facebook Akira-san?" Asked Ryuji stilo glaring daggers at Morgana.

" _I do._ However, I don't normally go on it though, I just use it to video chat with family members once a day. _Twice_ if my Mother is in a chatty mood." Akira said setting down the plastic bags on the bench. It was rather sweet of him to admit that last part and we both gave him a reassuring grin. He took out his phone and showed his his rather bland profile.

Though I had no room to speak since I didn't know if I even had one. Hence no computer at the house and no internet. At this rate, that type of material was a luxury and it was a tad hard keeping up with homework when we had to risk the anguish of shameless gossip if we tried the school library.

"We can relate, let me go ahead and follow you so I can _DM_ you." Ryuji said with a cheeky smile. Akira waited for his request and soon thereafter his transfer line came.

"We can talk about our own experiences with Kamoshida tomorrow, there just wasn't enough time to discuss it today Akira-san. We'll see you tomorrow." I voiced before he boarded the subway. his ebony curls swayed and he gave us a sympathetic smile.

" _Sounds fair_. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Akira voiced coolly. We exchanged a few farewells and he went on his merry way. Ryuji and I made the fifteen-minute hike home and walked in silence. Shibuya was still as lively as ever as we passed and made our way towards the residential area.

We lived in an apartment complex north of Shibuya in the ghetto. The sad part is that I wouldn't feel comfortable with ever bringing a friend home since really sketchy folk tend to wander the neighborhood.

Granted, it wasn't anywhere near the red-light district, but it was still a bit dangerous for anyone to walk alone at this hour. When we made it home I took out my key and unlocked the door for us to head inside.

"My back is killing me, this stuff is freaking heavy." Ryuji said while setting the blue gym bag down. He plopped on the couch and layed on it sideways as he let out a sigh in relief.

The heaviness in my eyes was starting to weigh down on me and my psyche, but I seriously needed a bath. "I'm going to take a bath. I'll leave it in case you plan on using it too."

"Thanks Ryo." Ryuji said tiredly. I took a good half-hour getting cleansed and I felt rejuvenated. When I came out of the bathroom and into the living room I could see Ryuji bearing a look of confusion as he texted on his phone.

"Something wrong?" I asked with concern in my voice. He looked up and sat up from the couch.

"Do you remember that weird navigation bug that Akira-san has on his phone?" I paused before giving him a resolute nod before he showed me his phone. On his app display he had an ominous red icon with a disturbing eye insignia. "It's giving me the creeps."

I closed a palm and laid underneath my chin a thoughtful pose. "This is really scary...Could you imagine what power this supernatural world holds if it can influence modern day technology..?" I felt goosebumps roll down my arms and my spiritual paranoia was starting to get the better of me.

Perhaps bringing a rosary and holy water wouldn't be such a bad idea the next trip around.

"Well, our boy _Specs_ says it might be from our Persona, but weirdly enough he didn't summon his yet when he had the app. _What gives?_ " Ryuji said completely perturbed.

I nodded in complete agreement and tried to piece together everything we had gone through. "Perhaps some outside force is trying to draw us in…? Maybe it knows our will of rebellion resides within us and knows we can fight Lord Kamoshida?" I said voicing my own theory.

Ryuji looked at me with wide eyes and then with a look of determination he began to type with a quickness I'd never seen him do. Moments after he sent his message a notification sound rang from his phone and read it out loud word-for-word.

" _Morgana thinks she might be onto something. He says that there is a possibility that the Meta-Verse can seek the strongest wills of rebellion and grant them access to and from the real world."_

I hummed in thought and groaned at the mayhem that my life was morphing into. _Good grief_ , at this rate I'm going to need heavy motivators to keep me going.

I did have to admit though, fighting alongside our little squad and Bonny was actually a motivator in itself.

" _Tomorrow is the volleyball rally, we'la have to use the time to interview the volleyball members."_ Ryuji read aloud. Ryuji blinked before he shot up from the sheer excitement.

"I have an idea! We could actually get away with it if we say we're a part of the journalism club. I'm pretty sure it's dying down, so, it might give us a good alibi in case any teachers get suspicious!"

It actually seemed like a decent idea. He texted Akira and he and Morgana seemed to agree as well. If the club was dying, I'm sure the journalist president would be lenient…

" _I'll take care of it_ , I'm pretty sure I can get her to trust us. If it works out, we might even have a reliable source of intel." My words seemed to surprise my twin and flashed me a toothy grin.

"Atta' girl! A team player through and through! I'll tell him to meet us at the vending machine by the gates then."

I smiled and I sighed as I nearly kicked myself in the face when I eyed the kitchen. I almost forgot about making my family some bento for tomorrow. Needless to say I was having those moments where you complain to yourself and blame the higher powers for not letting you sleep.

I made omelettes over white rice, sautéed bell peppers and octopus sausage. Mother and Ryuji liked nori, so I included it in their omelettes.

I made sure my medical wrap was secure and I headed off to bed to finally get the sleep I had been craving since the moment we left the Meta-Verse.

My dreams were different for once. I no longer felt the sheer panic of being clipped by another vehicle. I didn't hear the voice that most likely belonged to Morgana as he began to test my faith with his words.

Could he have really been a part of my awakening as Ryoko? Did he even remember me, or is it as I've always believed. Could all of that have been a product of a drug induced coma? Was it simply coincidence or fate?

Those thoughts didn't seem to alter my dream in the least. For once I dreamed of myself as Ryoko. I could have been four or five as I dashed through the sandy beaches of an area far off from Shibuya. I didn't know where but in that tiny head of mine I knew it was close to home. Ryuji was running a few yards ahead as his dark brown bob-cut bounced from his movements.

The warmth beneath my feet had been exhilarating and I felt a roll of giggles escape from my lips. Behind us two German Shepherds yipped at our antics. One of them completely noir and one it's traditional brown to black pelt pattern.

A few moments later we were beneath the cooling shelter of my Mother's parasol. We say next to her eating a few crisp and delicious watermelon slices.

"Skully and Raven! Come and eat silly doggies!" I yelled at them. My small voice was almost bell-like and rang beautifully in the open air.

They sniffed the sand and eventually plopped themselves onto the shaded sand near to my Father. He smiled and took a sip from his beer can and sat among them. He was burly muscular and ran. His sleek black hair gave him a charming look and he had one arm around my Mother.

 _It must have been before he started falling apart..._

The memory itself however stayed warm and I accepted for what it was.

* * *

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/13**

 **Wednesday**

The very next morning went as per usual as it could have been. I sat down for breakfast and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I filled my thermos with another round of coffee and thought about bringing a few snacks and miscellaneous items for our trip to the Meta-Verse.

"I took a few coffee bean packets from the stock in our inventory. You can use the tea kettle and a paper filter to make it." My mother informed.

"A makeshift coffee maker." I said shaking my head holding back a laugh. "Ryuji you need job so you can buy us a proper coffee maker."

Ryuji pouted and rolled his eyes clearly not amused. Mother simply let out a small and tired laugh and we looked at her sympathetically. I decided to recall my dream to them and purposefully left out the part about seeing my Father.

The looked at me completely jaw-slacked and their eyes widened like saucers.

"Y-you remember Skully and Raven?" My mother asked completely awake. I gave a slow nod and gave them an odd look.

"Gah, I remember having that crappy hairdo! Why on earth did the boys in my entire preschool class have that haircut. Did the Mom's get a PTA meeting and agreed on a single style?" He asked eyeing our Mother. She simply huffed and jabbed him in the gut.

"I thought it was absolutely adorable _Ryu-chan_!" Mother gushed. We laughed and Ryuji obviously let it go. Mother took her bento and kissed our cheeks before heading off to work. Ryuji looked at his phone and pulled his blazer over a white shirt with the words "LOLZ" embellished in yellow over his chest.

When we made our way towards the school I could already see Akira standing idly beside the vending machines. He quietly raised a hand and waved hello as we made our way towards him.

"Took you two long enough…" Muttered Morgana from his bag. We seemed a bit surprised not expecting to see him here and Ryuji let out a guttural laugh.

"Let me guess. Sakura-san doesn't want you around? _Eh, cat!_ " I frowned knowing they would just fight. I jabbed my elbow in his gut and Akira shook his shoulder making Morgana fall deep into the confines of his school issued bag.

"Why is Morgana here Akira _-kun_?" He blinked and stared at me blankly.

" _Kun…_?" He asked a bit dazed. I scratched the side of my cheek and cleared my throat. Ryuji seemed also taken a back and he looked like e was hit with a wave of second-hand embarrassment.

"Ah! I'm sorry, is it too soon…?" I wasn't going to lie, I had so far dealt with medical staff, school staff and my own family. I had no idea when the term _Kun_ or _Chan_ would be appropriate. So seeing his reaction made me believe it might have been way too soon to add that honorific.

"Well, our circumstances are _unique_...If you feel comfortable with it then I'll welcome it by all means." He said matter-of-factly. "I was just caught off guard is all." He said scratching the back of his nape. He whipped his hand away from his back and stared at the offending attacker that clawed his pale ivory fingers. Apparently Morgana was not very content with the earlier action his new roommate made.

"Enough chit-chat frizzy hair. We need to talk to the president of the Journalists club! I'm positive if we have her on our side, we should be able to have a good excuse to look up for proper intel. We might even be able to debunk any false roofers with her help."

"I think her name is _Handa, Kaede_ a third year. She tried to interview us during Ryo's time in the ICU." Ryuji explained. This seemed to peak their interest including my own and we decided to head inside.

We followed Ryuji through the hallways. We ignored the whispers and wandering eyes the majority of the alumni were making. As much as it aggravated me, it would be immature for me to be provoked by such words.

We made our way towards the club wing and poked around a few places until we made it to a club on the third floor on the farthest end to our west.

"Please try to be as genuine as possible. She might have sharp eyes and catch you in a lie if you attempt it. I'll do the talking…" I say giving a very pointed look at Ryuji. He of course pouted and Akira nodded in affirmation.

My slender hand knocked on the sliding door. "Pardon me, m-may I speak with Handa-senpai?"I heard a very professional voice of a young woman giving us permission to enter.

The room was a tad cluttered and looked something comparable to a federal investigation meeting room. There was mobile whiteboard in the room and a bulletin board with possibly leads on a topic.

Kaede was a young slender girl, she had loose ponytail and a set of red spectacles that framed her face. She had a very bored expression on her face and I was sure she was a fellow sufferer of the infamous resting-bitch-face syndrome.

I felt a tad intimidated, but I remained as cool as possible.

"That would be me. What can I do for you?" She looked passed me and examined my companions. She gave them a leering gaze and smirked. "The former "Bolt" and the so called "Silent Misfit" I never thought you two would associate with one another." The both tensed at my side and I cleared my throat.

"Handa-Senpai…we understand the Journalism Club is need of members. We have yet to join any clubs with our given reputations. We ask for you to take us under your wing and teach us the art of obtaining the truth." I bowed and the boys followed suit.

When I looked up she had an eyebrow raised and didn't look convinced. "That may be so, but why the sudden interest in Journalism? Why should I take in a convicted felon and the school brute?"

Ryuji looked at Akira and surprisingly kept calm. They had somehow realized she may have been baiting them.

She's testing them by poking at their sore subjects. "Why not? I asked standing my ground. "You of all people should find rumors as a breeding ground for misconceptions. You must have debunked it by now. You seem like the type of person who doesn't stop at finding a credible source." This seemed to amuse her and she adjusted her glasses.

" _Kurusu Akira_ , Date of birth December 21st, 1995. Zodiac sign: Capricorn. Case file: XXXX-98977B-2A, suspect charged with battery and assault with a weapon. Victim claims he was being robbed and tried to protect his employee. Eye witness report backs up his claim, however there are a few discrepancies within the file in mention. When authorities spoke to the witness she had blood splatter that contradicted the claim. She stated that she was being protected by her employer, yet the blood stains on her outfit speaks differently. In order for the pattern to correlate to the stabbing, it would place her behind the assailant... _behind you_."

From the corner of my eye I could see Akira look completely shocked. He was wide-eyed and his mouth was agape.

"My only deduction was that you were in between them. Police examined her purse and found a can of mace. For whatever reason she didn't use that."

Akira found his voice and choked. "W-why not..?"

"It's common for victims to freeze upon a frightening situation. If it's as I believe, she had the opportune moment to subdue you Kurusu-san, but why didn't she? Perhaps she trusted you... _why_? Because you saved her, from an infamous narcissistic man that controlled her paycheck."

"...!" We said nothing and Akira paled considerably and began to shake.

"What the fuck…!" Muttered Ryuji.

"Akira-kun…?" I asked my voice laced in concern. He breathed heavily before Kaede shoved a blackboard eraser in his hand and began to talk smoothly.

"Sakamoto-chan, tell him where he is and ask him random questions. He needs to distract himself. Remain calm as he should follow in your example"

Panic seemed to bubble in my stomach and his reaction seemed familiar in a dreadful sense. It was something I had seen our Mother do when she felt her stress overwhelm her. He was having an anxiety attack. Ryuji pulled out a chair and we helped him sit down. He was hyperventilating and started to sweat.

"Akira-san. Can you hear me? Please talk to us, you're doing great." His eyes looked empty and he nodded his head before he mustered the strength to speak.

"O..okay." He said his knuckles were taut and paper-white.

"Breath easy man, In through your nose and out through your mouth. We can all do it together. Right Ryo?" Ryuji asked calmly before Akira looked at both of us and followed in our example.

We spent a few minutes asking him a variety of questions and even urged to lighten the mood. I rubbed his back and he shuddered slightly before his breathing started to improve.

"What's your favorite color?" Asked Ryuji.

"W-wine red." Akira answered more calmly. I stopped rubbing his back and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" I asked giving him sympathetic smile. He sighed deeply and straightened out from his slouch.

"Not great, but I've been worse." Akira admitted. I removed my palm and we looked at Kaede expectantly.

"I'm sure you have." Kaede voiced smoothly. She grabbed a few sheets of paper and handed each of us a document. "Fill these out and have your homeroom teachers approve it. I doubt they'll decline it considering I have dirt on a few of them. _Welcome aboard_."

 _With that..our intel source was secured…_

* * *

 **Author's notes: Tada! Morgana joins the group earlier than in the cannon timeline. I tried looking for Kaede's real cannon name, but failed to find it so I'm sticking with that name for now. It appears Ryoko's existence is already proving to be cataclysmic. Such is the variable of the butterfly effect.**

 **Romance will essentially be slow-burn despite what you may believe, more fluff and borderline friendship. Ryoko blatantly admits to being attracted to his appearance, but doesn't want that to be her reason for developing her image of him. So only time will tell. What do you guys think about Kaede? Will she prove to be an asset to the the phantom thieves? The twin's birthday is on the fourteenth and I'm thinking of working on a doozy of a chapter in commemoration of their day.**

 **Please let me know your thoughts. It really motivates me and I do take your thoughts into consideration. See ya' next time folks!**


	10. Chapter 10: Rookie Journalists

**Chapter 10: Rookie Journalists**

 **Dairy Entry Date: 04/13**

 **Wednesday**

* * *

"Make sure to check up on Specs before you get changed. Handa-senpai will be meeting us after the boys varsity team finishes their match." Ryuji said before parting ways to his home room.

Akira had looked like he seen better days, but he regained the normal tone of his ivory skin. I knew it wasn't necessary, but I still walked him to his desk and informed him I would check in on him before getting dressed for the volleyball rally.

He looked almost thankful and gave me a nod before I made my way back to my seat behind Mishima. I had shivered slightly remembering the cognitive doll that bore my classmate's face. I thought to myself that they were not the same individual and my anxiety seemed to diminish.

Kawakami-sensei announced the fact that we would continue our classes tomorrow and that we would need to make our way towards the gym immediately after roll-call.

"You will be playing against a teacher team, all of them according to their respective genders. Please don't horse around, remember this will not be a free day. If you are caught skipping this event without probable cause you will receive a citation."

She went on as usual and began roll-call. I had already filled out my club application form and I was beginning to wonder what Kaede was really capable of. Surely relying on her might really fall into our favor.

I wasn't exactly content with the fact that her words had resulted in Akira's panic attack, but she did prove a very strong point. She had sharp eyes and thirsted for the truth. I could only imagine what information she knew not only of Ryuji, but of me as well. She had explained that she knew of Akira from the leaked case file that was shared anonymously via Facebook post. —Much to her and our dismay the URL didn't trace back to its original sender.

She had reassured us that his identity wasn't at stake since the original scan had his social security and home address marked off. It still made us wonder if someone had connections to the police or was a possible hacker to gain access to the federal database.

Kawakami-sensei finished roll-call and I marched towards her handing her my club application. She cleared her throat and gave me a very forced smile.

 _Bingo_.

It looks like Handa-senpai's reputation exceeded my own expectations. Se had informed us of the controversial job our homeroom teacher was a part of and simply told us in case she thought we were bluffing.

" _The Sakamoto name is practically sullied by the entire school faculty and alumni. They would flat out reject this application if you didn't have the upper hand. If they take you for delinquents, might as well take advantage of it."_

" _Wonderful_ , you've decided Journalism Sakamoto-chan." She signed quickly before adding in hushed tone, "Let me know whenever you need to work on any club related activities —I'll even give you a hall pass whenever you need so long as it does not interfere with your school work."

I chuckled before giving her a smile. " _Thank you_. I'll keep that in mind."

I walked out into the hall and waited by the wall for Akira to appear. He did and despite looking a tad tired he wore a smug expression on his face. I raised an eyebrow and he walked over to me.

"How did it go?" I asked finding his expression a bit amusing. He played with a strand of his curly hair and I had started to take notice of some odd habits he displayed, —it was endearing to say the least and I had to wonder what emotions seem to trigger such a response.

"I might have _maid_ a pun and enjoyed the show. Her expression was priceless you should have seen it." He mimicked an expression of embarrassment and held back a fit of chuckles.

"Oh you are quite dastardly Kurusu, Akira." I said shaking my head not hiding the smile that graced my lips.

" _Trust me_ _mademoiselle_ , _I_ _try_." He replied before bowing. I humored him and feigned a clapping audience. He seemed to bask in the false glory and I hummed in relief seeing he was able to crack a joke.

"You look a little better. How are you feeling?" I asked not trying to hide the concern that laced my voice. He looked at me with an expression that mirrored something close to shame and guilt.

"I'm fine. I suppose now is the time to apologize for my predicament earlier. _Forgive me, Ryo-chan._ " He admitted scratching the back of his nape while tapping a shoe. I parted my lips in surprise and gave him sympathetic smile. I didn't want to react much to the obvious chan —considering the fact it would be odd if he didn't reciprocate the honorific as well.

" _Hey, it was no trouble at all_. Don't worry about it." I said waving him off. "I'm just glad you're well enough to still tease our home room teacher." I said in a warm chuckle.

" _Trust me_ , I am feeling a lot better actually, Handa-senpai's words seem to rile something inside me. —I guess hearing all those extra details really struck a cord..." Akira's voiced trailed off and he seem to shake off whatever motion was stirring in that brain of his. "Anyways," He said before shifting to another subject. "I'll meet you after the match between the boys varsity team ends. Ryuji-kun and I will most likely be benched. I doubt our team captain will have us on the team. Once it ends we'll need to regroup quickly as Handa-senpai wanted to teach us the proper way to pry credible information from a testimony."

" _Interesting_. We just end up learning a thing or two from her." I said not hiding my feelings of curiosity. "Anyways, I'm glad you're feeling better Akira-kun. Take it easy and I'll see you soon." I gave a quick and awkward pat on his shoulder and breezed by.

" _Piña...Colada_?" He breathed.

I whipped back and raised an eyebrow. I was about to ask what he was talking about, but he simply marched way silently with his back facing me. I didn't really think much about it since the deep vibrato of his voice often made it hard to hear him. —We were lucky we had been sitting so close to him yesterday, otherwise we would have asked him to repeat himself on several occasions during his story.

Was that Latin or Spanish? I couldn't really tell to be honest. Foreign language hadn't been my fortè. I had since looked up the words that Bonny called me yesterday and I had been quite perplexed with my findings.

She had referred to my former self as her Patròna and myself as Mijá. The first had been the equivalent meaning of "Boss" ( _female)_ and the latter translating as "Daughter" or "Child" _(female)_.

I assumed she was referring to me as a child. Patròn had been a male connotation "Boss" as well. Which made some sense as they could not function without or desires and commands. Persona was also the Latin term for person. They were derived from our inner selves and that seemed comprehensible.

The gym lockers were especially crowded for the event and I wasn't content with the idea of plowing through the herd of people. I didn't want to linger any more than I had to. —I mainly strayed away from the oncoming traffic and changed into my gym clothes in the corner.

Someone else dressed beside me and I didn't pay any particular interest to her. From my peripheral vision I could tell she wasn't dressing into a red tracksuit like the majority of our schoolmates had. She stopped and I could feel her halt her movements and stood still as she waited for something.

My instinctice reasoning had made me believe she was waiting for me to acknowledge her. —I did just that. The girl had been a head taller than me and could have easily matched Ryuji in terms of height. Her ebony locks were locked in a firm ponytail and cascaded freely on her back. She looked rather simple in terms of style, but she was by no means was she plain in terms of grace. —Despite her natural charm it was blatantly off putting when you began to stare at her bruises, I had fought every fiber in my being to grimace then and there.

"Ryoko-chan? How has your day been?" She asked in kind and genuine tone. This seem to fluster me since I didn't recognize her at all.—It must have been quite evident from my expression as she furrowed her brows with what appeared to be acceptance.

Still, this wasn't some movie or drama and though I may have lost my former self, I was by no means going to be a rude person.

"Fine, Thank You. _How about yours?_ " I asked feeling a pang of guilt. I had silently wondered if we had ever been friends, surely this would be a very painful reunion if this was the case.

" _Fine_...Are you adjusting well to your school life?" She asked while fixing her knee pads. For whatever reason I still remained guarded around her. These past few months I had only associated with a small circle of people. Something in that crappy brain of mine almost felt upset that she was barely approaching me now of all times.

During my time in the ICU everyone had been convinced that Ryuji had been at fault for my head trauma. They essentially cut any and all ties with him even though there was little proving that claim. I had been tagged in numerous online posts wishing me well, but no one ever bothered to see me in person.

You usually end up finding out who's worth keeping in your life when your on your deathbed.

"I've been _managing_. How has your school year been?" I asked casually. She seemed to stop and gave a very defeated sigh. Surprisingly enough she still managed to keep a vibrant smile.

"It's been quite the rollercoaster! Juggling volleyball practice and schoolwork is a nightmare! HomeEd would be nice if I knew how make a bowl of cereal without causing a house fire." She said before bursting into a fit of giggles. The imagery of being a terrible cook seem to amuse me more than I had originally thought and I found myself shaking in a fit of laughs as well.

"I'm sure you aren't that bad..!" I asked playing along. I had thought it would be harmless to humor her and this seemed to encourage her banter.

"I wish I were lying! Mom says I get that from dear old Dad." She said with a pout plastering her face.

"You seem pretty nice, I didn't catch your name." I asked trying to put a name to a face. A look of hurt seemed to flash in her eyes and she smiled despite my own words. She wasn't even hiding the pain.

"My name is Suzui, Shiho." She replied before making a brief pause, "—We actually met during our second-year entrance exams back in Junior High. I haven't been able to see you in a while so I thought I'd be able to check in on you today."

I pulled my closed palm under my chin and began to rack my brain for a possible indication of a memory. My mind simply went blank and so far the only memories o regained were all Ryuji related.

"Sorry, I can't say I remember anything before late January. That would have been a few years ago…" I said feeling a tad frustrated. The fact that I couldn't the recall a life that was not mine seemed to infuriate me.

I hesitantly met her gaze and she seemed to hold a look of understanding and sympathy. "Don't let the frustration get to you." She said before a voice called out to her.

"Shiho-chan! The event is about to start. Our match with the female staff is up!" She closed her eyes and seemed to mutter under her breath in a way that reminded me of a certain bespectacled Teen.

" _I won't._ " I say before weaving her off. "Good luck, Suzui-san. I'm sure you'll do great and don't be a stranger okay?" I said before she waved me goodbye. We bid each other farewells and I took of my beanie reluctantly and brushed my short locks over my bandage.—Well, as much as I could anyway.

I had been nervous about it on numerous occasions since a part of my scalp had been shaved when they had prepared me for surgery. My neighbor who was studying to be a cosmetologist had decided to taper my hair and recommended I part my hair to the right over my wound. The asymmetrical cut would essentially work in my favor since I had one side shorter than the other.—I took the bobby pins that once secured my beanie and placed them in an 'X' form over the crown of my head.

I took out a body mist bottle and sprayed it absentmindedly like I had always done before heading towards P.E. —I smiled as the scent of pineapple and coconut filled my senses. I had always hated how humid it got in the locker room and the smell of feet seem to always linger. I looked rather dorky and bully in my red tracksuit since the pants were one-size too big, but I shrugged it off and went on my merry way.

The gym of course had been full, I had just kept to myself and didn't bother to meet anyone else's gaze. I would just have to remind myself I wouldn't be seeing these people in the coming years anyway,—but I digress.

There had been a short assembly before the event began and I was basically benched throughout the entire thing. I did hear a few people trying to decide the liberó, but I wasn't confident I could pull it off the role without proper practice. Not only would I be rusty, but my physique wasn't up to standards anymore. The amount of muscle I lost, _(according to Ryuji)_ had been substantially high. —Well, for my body type anyway.

I was seated by the last seat on the right and watched the match as the rest of the girls cheered for the teacher team. The sight of Kamoshida as he walked the in the gym started with a shit-eating grin seemed to rile up a storm of hate and resentment. —If I could only have the chance to crush him myself, I'd die in peace.

The match was severely one sided and I had noticed the blonde from my homeroom taking a seat next to me —had also seemed to notice this as well. I silently noted that Kamoshida only made strikes by literary by hitting the opposing team players. This method was of very poor sport way of playing as it was very sadistic and for a lack of a better word _asshol-ish_. There was nothing in the game rules that said you couldn't strike the ball and aim it at a player, but it sure as hell did defeat the finesse of the sport.

"This bites." Muttered the blonde before resting a palm on her chin in a hunched position. It was Takamaki-san. I simply hummed aloud in agreement but didn't bother to give her a second glance. We stayed quiet and I had noticed Ryuji and Akira sitting adjacent to my left behind the volleyball court.

They were talking every once in a while and mainly took to sitting quietly in their spot on the floor. It was a terrible spot since the ball kept bouncing back there. Every so often they tossed the ball back when a stray ball landed near them.

The game went on and the boys in our class looked rather defeated and when the ball clipped Mishima in the shoulder I found myself saying a sentence that was foreign, but quite natural to me.

" _Don't mind!_ " I yelled into my cupped palms. The boys seemed rather taken aback and Mishima blinked owlishly in my direction before wiping the sweat on his forehead.

Somewhere along the line they did make a strike and I and Takamaki-San were the only girls that clapped. The other girls feigned sadness over Kamoshida's lost point and I practically scoffed.

" _If only they knew._ " I muttered to myself. Kamoshida must have sent a few winks our way and even I knew they were meant for the school unicorn and not me. It was actually a shame really, people who look foreign often get segregated before they ever have a chance to know them.

 _Hence why they called them "unicorns."_

My eyes wandered to Mishima and I has noticed he looked rather pale and almost lethargic. His movements were consistent with that of fatigue, almost like he had given up.

"Team! Switch Mishima out!" I shouted cupping my palms over my mouth. The boys benched on the other side blinked obliviously as they failed to hear my words, but Ryuji somehow understood me —despite my voice being drowned out by the cheerleaders— and repeated my words with more effective shout.

"Switch Mishima out!"

The referee seemed to take this into consideration and the team captain called for a replacement. Him and another classmate essentially switched places and he he looked like he was ready to faint. Not even a few seconds later some benched faculty members started surrounding him and fanning him as his body slumped over. Mishima had most likely given out to exhaustion.

" _Woah, is he alright?_ " Hushed a few girls noticing the scene. I was thankful for making the call on time, I'm surprised none of his teammates actually took his well-being into consideration.

The match of course didn't last very long, it wasn't a surprise that the male staff brought home the victory with Kamoshida in their midst. —I'd be lying if I said I didn't bail out the moment the whistle confirmed the ending of the match.

Akira and Ryuji were already standing by the door waiting for me. It didn't take much to find our club president in the crowd. She was waiting beside the wall that led to the staircase with a notepad in her hands. We each handed our club applications to her and she smirked feeling very pleased.

" _Good_. Now, I can show you the art interrogation. I'll show you the basics first; like reading body language, using appropriate open-ended questions and learning how to cross-reference a statement." She said while fixing her lenses. "Our biggest scoop yet has to do with the recent injuries of our star athletes. Unfortunately the administration keeps reprimanding me for this certain topic, but that isn't going to stop me from finding out all the details myself. I'll share my current findings with you after school, but we'll need to see if we can squeeze a few more details from the other athletes.—There are quite a few of them and it would also serve as good practice for you three."

We nodded and I felt like she had been saying this as a formality if anything. If she was sharp as we had believed, she would have already guessed why we even joined the club in the first place.

We took a few minutes to practice a mock interview and we had failed miserably. Kaede played the role of the interviewee and feigned all sorts of body language and worded contradictions that we didn't catch. Akira however started to improve more than I and Ryuji did in terms of cross-referencing, my questions were a bit more thought provoking and Ryuji had actually been a natural at reading body language.

"It seems you all make up for each other's weaknesses, which would be fine if you all worked together, _but you aren't going to._ Journalism is a solo expedition. You each have to master those three key points before you can begin the printing portion of the job." Kaede

We agreed and marched around the school with Kaede as we searched for the injured athletes. If we could catch them in the midst of a contradiction it would give us the opening to a possible confession on their part.

Unsurprisingly enough, we were sent on a wild goose chase infiltrating classroom after classroom only to have a single lead.

" _Mishima_ , _Yuuki_ is in the nurse's office as we speak, it would give us the chance to isolate him and badger him for answers. Sakamoto-kun, can you let me know why our interviews were unsuccessful until this point?" Kaede asked testing his knowledge.

Ryuji jumped a bit at the sudden question, but had a thoughtful expression on his face. "There were people around when I was asking him questions. He probably felt cornered and defensive and didn't want to spill."

Kaede smirked probably feeling a bit proud for having the privilege to teach a couple of rookies like ourselves. "Correct. People feel more at ease when they feel their privacy is secured. This makes them feel more inclined to answer when they have the opportunity to stay anonymous." Kaede voiced coolly as we made our way to the nurse's office.

"Should we all head in? Our numbers will likely intimidate him." Akira voiced with concern. Kaede nodded and had him accompany her into the nurse's office.

"We can pull the _good-cop bad-cop_ routine, you're reputation might actually work in our favor Kurusu-san. The Sakamoto twins can keep watch in the hallway. Having the administration on our back would be quite troublesome." Kaede replied, —I suppose they would probably keep tabs on Kaede and our enrollment in the club might actually give her the opportunity to find the information she had been craving since Kamoshida arrival. She was probably being deterred by the school administrators.

Ryuji and I stood in the hallway and we immediately noticed a familiar blonde turned the hallway as she made her way towards us. I could feel Ryuji's form stiffen, but he took out his phone and began to scroll through his Facebook feed probably pretending to look busy.

" _Hey_ ," Asked Takamaki folding her arms. Her face was morphed into that of disdain. I raised and eyebrow and acknowledged her presence.

"The nurse's office is occupied, you're gonn'a have'ta wait if you need to see her. " Ryuji replied mater-of-factly. I shoved my hands into my pockets and stepped beside my twin.

"I'm not here to see her." She replied dryly in a huff. "Where's your new friend?" She asked narrowing her eyes at us. Perhaps she believed she could try her own perception skills to get us to spill. If that was the case, she was in for a very big surprise.

" _He's busy at the moment_. Surely the conversation could wait until tomorrow?" I asked trying to feign some form of innocence. Her eyes were steeled on to Ryuji and the two seemed to hold some sort of staring contest.

"You were late the other day, I'm not stupid enough to believe you three got lost. You hardly leave your one another's side and yet you look dependent enough regardless of your handicap." She began to tap her foot in a rather annoyed fashion, "Rumors are spreading quick about that friend of yours—and whatever it is you're playing at—it's not going to work. Just tell him— _as a fair warning,_ that messing with Kamoshida-sensei isn't worth your time."

"For someone who's tossin' around threats, you seem pretty defensive. Why are you so worried about rumors?—You of all people should be ignoring them completely. Unless they really are true? _Are they Takamaki-san?_ " Ryuji asked in a low tone. She remained silent before her gaze dropped to the floor for a brief second.

"That has nothing to do with this." She said firmly.

"It has everything to do with it. You brought rumors up in the first place." I voiced with a finality. "This isn't your problem Takamaki-san, If your plan was to instill us with advice then you are doing a very poor job of it. Even if we were up to something —like you really believe we are— why would that matter to you?"

She stayed quiet probably unsure of what to say.

"Bet money you heard some nasty rumor 'bout us trying to do something to Kamoshida if it really worried you that much. If only you knew what that bastard was up to—you'd run for the hills in an instant."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Before we could answer her the sliding doors to the nurse's office opened revealing our club president and Akira with Mishima in tow behind them.

"Excuse us, is there something you need Takamaki-san? Our club has a deadline approaching—so if you'd like to schedule a statement for this week's topic you can leave a note in the comments box in the front office." Kaede advised. This seemed to break the tension and I knew we had done a shit-job at trying to badger information out of Takamaki-san.

"Sorry, _Prez_ , we were just telling her that." Ryuji said looking straight at Takamaki-san before kicking some phantom dirt on the ground.

Someone's warmth was radiating from my back and the vibrato of Akira's voice whispered blissfully in my ear. "We need to escort Mishima-san to the school gate. He's going home early and we can't let Kamoshida know. We need to fulfill our end of the deal." I turned my head slightly and nodded subtly.

"We should get going." I announced firmly.

"I hope you have yourself a lovely day Takamaki-san." Kaede said, before we essentially walked passed the blonde. We grouped around Mishima in diamond formation as a means to shield him from Kamoshida's eyes. About a few minutes into our march we hadn't seen nor hair nor hide of the tyrant coach. This left the others and I feeling restless.

"Keep your head down," Akira said in a firm tone. Mishima gulped and for whatever odd reason Akira's words seemed a little harsh…I assume he was taking the bad cop role pretty seriously.

"R-right. _Sorry._ " Mishima sputtered.

The entire walk had been tense, but thankfully uneventful. When we finally reached the school gate I sighed in relief. The anxiety of possibly confronting Kamoshida over this had started to eat away at me.

"This is as far as we go, I'll see what I can do for you Mishima-kun." Kaede said before Mishima bowed meekly.

"Thank you...Handa-senpai." When we saw him walk towards a black sleek car we knew he was essentially in the clear. We all marched inside and for the remainder of the the day we held a conference of sorts in our club room.

The amount of information that Kaede had stashed away was rather appalling. She had traced the incidents back to Kamoshida every time. However, even with the evidence, it was likely that Principal Kobayakawa would not fail to sabotage it.

Mishima was testimony to the fact that their own principal was responsible for silencing the media. Hence why the journalism club lacked in members. They were threatened by the idea of being denied their recommendation letters.

"...I of course backed off in fear of losing the club, but for some strange reason...I feel like you three might actually be capable of exposing the truth—the truth about the corruption that has since plagued the school after Kamoshida-sensei arrived last year." She paused before elaborating, "I'm no fool. I know you came in here hoping to expose him for his actions."

"I was under the impression you figured that out, _Madam President_." Akira admitted. "Otherwise that would have been all _too_ coincidental for you to set your sights on the school athletes."

"Regardless of getting heat from the school administration, I can't just sit around turning a blind eye to the problems we have in front of us." I voiced while resting a palm under my chin. "Still, learning this actually feels like a veil of ignorance is lifted from our eyes."

We couldn't exactly let her know about the double life we were living. It was far too dangerous and knowing her from this short amount of time the curiosity would get the better of her.

"Well, now you know—despite our knowledge there is very little a school press can actually do." Kaede said actually sighing for once.

"I guess for now we can try using our delinquency in our favor as you say, maybe we can help victims like Mishima from facing Kamoshida's fury. If we can work under his nose, we might be able to give them the courage to stand up for themselves." Akira said also looking very pensive.

"Won't Kamoshida just pull some strings to get that student expelled. It wouldn't be the first time..."Ryuji said while trailing off.

"That makes sense. It's probably another reason why no one will defy him." I said closing my eyes.

" _Well, I'll tell you what_. You guys seem to have your hearts in the right place. If we can recruit one more member, this club might make it until the end of the month. We need a minimum of five members to keep the press up and running. Help me with that and I'll give you all the intel you need regarding Kamoshida. You most likely saw your homeroom teacher's reactions early this morning correct?"

Ryuji's eyes widened and he nodded. "Yeah, I was actually going to ask you about that. Chouno-sensei got all bug-eyed after I told her I knew what she did last summer." Ryuji didn't fail to let a roll of laughter escape him.

I shook my head and held back a laugh. Chouno-sensei was pretty snobby at times, so it was nice to hear she was feeling the heat.

"I suppose we can discuss the scoop topics tomorrow, I'll be able to give you a set of keys in case you need to finish up any projects from now on. I won't be able to stay here all the time, but I'll allow you full access to the club room. I'll also discuss a few rules and print out a syllabus for each of you containing all the juicy details—You know all that good stuff like formalities and the works."

"Sounds like a pain in the ass." Muttered Ryuji.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Ryu— _You'll live._ " I said shaking my head.

"The club hours are usually during lunch and after school, so I'll see you guys tomorrow during lunch time. In all sense if we hope to keep this room for the remainder of the school year we must all work together as a team. That ends this discussion. _Dismissed._ " Kaede announced. With that we called it a day and we left to get changed into our uniforms.

"There you are!" I announced seeing Morgana approaching us at the school gate. He was busy grooming himself and shivered.

"I've been checking the status on the palace for any changes. It looks like Mishima's absence has angered Lord Kamoshida."

"That doesn't sound very promising." Akira voiced with concern.

"We could go into the palace, but Akira-kun's psyche is at risk. I saw what happened earlier and I don't want to risk it." Morgana voiced thoughtful. The rest of us agreed and settled on going the next day instead.

"Have you ever dispelled a palace before?" I asked Morgana as he hopped into Akira's school tote.

"Never, but that doesn't necessarily mean I don't know how.— All we have to do is secure a route to his heart and steal it to change his cognitive state. However that does pose a risk, if done incorrectly...it could kill him."

"Holy shit…" mouthed Ryuji.

"We have to reach a unanimous decision if we want to continue. I suppose we can do that by sharing our side of the story. " I said not exactly turning down the idea of going forward with it.

"That still seems severe, but I'm sure I'll be able to reach a decision if you share your experience with me." Akira worded thoughtfully.

"Fine, but we should probably head somewhere with less people roaming about." Ryuji reasoned.

That afternoon Akira, Ryuji and I walked together and boarded the subway together since we did have the same transfer to Shibuya. The body odor of some people had been ridiculous. There had been a heavy foreigner with a neck-beard and finger-less gloves who leered at me and had reeked of onions. I had to breath in the concoction of coconut pineapple that lingered on my turtleneck.

Ryuji simply maneuvered his shoulders to block me from his sight and Akira hardened his gaze at him. "What's his deal?" Muttered Ryuji as he scrolled through his Facebook feed.

"I think there's an anime exposition this week. They had all sorts of ads on it when I walk to into the Yongen transit." Akira said nonchalantly.

"Anime is okay— _in moderation_." I voiced aloud. The boys nodded their heads in agreement grimacing at the countless wifu buttons this man owned. —He could have been in his early thirties or late twenties and he had the audacity to give me that blast come hither look. I wasn't by any means some goddess like Takamaki-san, in fact one could say I'm quite average— _but I digress._

The man wiggled his brows in our direction and the boys tightened their grip on the guardrails. "How about we make like banana and peel out of here?" I asked with a grimace plastered on my face.

" _I'm down_ —let's go walk around the underground mall. We can probably talk there. I'm pretty sure today is a fine day to dive into the life of the Sakamoto's don't ya think?" Ryuji said sardonically.

"It's not a fairytale, _but it's our story._ " I said with a sad smile.

"All the more reason for me to listen. _I was never a fan of make-believe anyway._ "


	11. Chapter 11: The Phantom's Verdict

**Chapter 11: The Phantom's Verdict**

 **Dairy Entry Date: 04/14**

* * *

By the time we held to our after school meeting the very next day, we had already reached a unanimous decision. That following afternoon we would infiltrate Kamoshida's palace and steal his treasure.—The damage he had done both to the school and it's victims. This made us very willing to accept the grim price for changing his heart. If a man like that was so set to destroy my small family, then I wouldn't be so forgiving either. It seemed like an even exchange and after hearing our side Akira had been on-board.

Today durning our lunch Kaede had essentially left us the keys during a lunch meeting where we discussed all the formalities and an introduction to club. She gave us a bit of homework to learn formating a prompt correctly and eventually left the clubroom ten minutes after school saying she had other plans to attend to. Considering it was her senior year in High School she probably had important things to attend to.

The walls of the Journalism club were promising. It would allow us to speak freely without having to worry about anyone walking into our conversations pertaining to the Meta-Verse. Ryuji had stopped by during lunch to drop his gym bag off in the club room. It looked very unassuming at first glance, but I was thanking my lovely stars Kaede had assigned us lockers to keep any miscellaneous items.

" _This is too perfect_ , —a place to sit during lunch, somewhere to stash our combat gear and to top it off no one would question why we're here after school. It's the perfect hideout!" Ryuji exclaimed lounging back in his seat. I shook my head and decided bursting his bubble now was a good time as ever.

"Hate to break it to you Ryu, but at the end of the day we're still the club's only journalists..." I said. Ryuji blinked and sat up straight before Akira nodded and looked as pensive as ever.

" _Meaning,_ we still have to go around interviewing patrons of the school and actually produce a school newsletter every week. We have to format it via document and print it in the masses." Akira elaborated while feeding Morgana. This seemed to really bring him down a few pegs and he slumped in his chair.

"Oh, shit! I forgot we actually have to work for Madam Prez and actually make the freaking school newspaper! Son of a bitch! We're even gonna' pull all-nighters aren't we…?"

 _''Tis the blood pact._ " Akira said with humor lacing his voice.

" _Okay, so we have a hideout_." I stated while my eyes lingered through the room. "Since we all came to an agreement yesterday we have the go ahead to for the infiltration. We have to make sure we're thoroughly prepared to enter the palace." I said displaying the contents from my tote. "I grabbed a few things from home and made some instant coffee—it's not anything fancy like you're used to Akira-san, but I assumed it was practical."

" _Good_ , I wouldn't want to solely rely on medication to be honest. I know you said you still take prescriptions yourself so I need Morgana to have a few items to replenish his stamina. We can give him some coffee or soda when he needs it—and any snacks if need be. I think is a safe choice to assign him as the field medic."

"I read a ninja manga once saying field medics have it tough. You need to learn how to dodge cat.." Ryuji jabbed. I shot him a very unamused look and he pouted.

"I don't recall ever being a clumsy oaf like yourself. Keep up the act and you'll be the last person I heal." Morgana fired back. If this kept up, we might have a civil war on our hands—and if that happened I would end them both.

"Enough. _Both of you._ We have more important things to worry about than your machismo." I scolded. They stared each other down before they looked away with irritation plastered —If we could make a floor plan for the castle, we might just create some makeshift map." I advised taking out a sheet of paper. This seemed to peak Morgana's interest and he sauntered on to the table and sat in front of me.

"We can all recall the areas we have infiltrated by memory and sketch it out. —I've made it a bit more further in the palace so, I'll be able to describe the layout of what I've seen so far to the best of my abilities." Morgana said while beginning to groom himself.

We all gathered around my seat and began to recall the pathways we had all taken. Akira and Ryuji were able to remember in great detail the lower dungeons as their adrenaline had been enhancing their senses the first time around.

I was able to recall the first level of the lower dungeon as both boys must have been out-cold at the time. It was a detail that caused me immeasurable guilt as I had taken my chance to escape and power things through with them.

However, had that not happened, I probably wouldn't have gotten Morgana's cooperation. Well, there was at least one example that being a coward might actually work for me, _but I digress._ With our group efforts we were able to make a rather decent floor map.

"Wait, you said you were in the art club Akira-san. Wouldn't this have been easier if you drew it out?" I asked not exactly satisfied with my work. I assumed he might have had better craft experience than I did.

"Oh. I mean I _was_ in the art club, but my main gimmick was whittling wood. I'm not very good at sketches, as they always feel very sloppy to me— _at least when I do them anyway._ " Akira said before he began to pack all of the stock for our departure.

" _I see._ That's actually really interesting. We definitely need to see your woodcarvings in the future then. You seem like the type that would be into something that therapeutic." I commented while rising from my seat. This idea seemed to genuinely delight him since he let out a soft chuckle.

"I'll need to buy a new carving kit — _seeing as how my last one was confiscated_..." He said thoughtfully. "However, if and when I get my hands on one I wouldn't mind showing you guys some time." Akira voiced cooly. We all smiled and Morgana also voiced his own excitement about admiring the possible art aesthetic Akira was capable of.

After a bit of gear assesment we all grouped together and I opened the door to the hallway to make sure the coast had been clear. When I shut the sliding door I gave the other's the signal to ensue our departure into the Meta-Verse. Akira opened the app of the strange navigation too and rerouted the location the dreary "Pervert Castle."

" _Now in route to "Pervert Castle._ " Announced what I now deemed Siri's creepy cousin, No doubt that she was probably twice removed. The room essentially morphed and rippled, I could feel the earth in my feet shift and my eyes were essentially blinded by a wisps of blue flames.

I was met with the familiar environment of the castle. The castle loomed over us and I had subconsciously waited for the heavy despair to weigh over my chest. However, the pressure never came, in fact, I felt weightless and limber. I brushed a hand on my face and felt the sensation of leather ghosting against it. I looked down at my legs and noted the elevation I had with the new cone-heeled boots I bore.

' _Is this how natural Akira felt with the rebel fatigues?'_ I voiced inwardly taking the time to admire my attire.

"I don't even remember changing! It's a perfect fit. _Almost too perfect._ " Ryuji said feeling a bit exposed. That was probably the most eerie thing about out garbs, they were sized to fit—as if they had the proper and unique measurements to fit us like a second skin. My spandex tights, the boots, the suit vest and my cape secured by a waist belt...—the sizing was perfect.

"It's very odd, but the rules of this world have been quite ludicrous so far…" I mumbled still feeling a bit surprised myself. Akira and Morgana waited patiently for us to take the moment in. I was assuming he was all too understanding about our feelings of wonderment.

"How do you guys feel?" He asked giving us a cheeky grin.

"It's the same as you said the other day man, I feel like I can actually breathe!" Ryuji said completely dazed. The clacking of my heels seemed to rile a bubble of excitement within me. I was actually looking forward to gaining some battle experience and being able to use Bonny's strength more effectively.

"I feel capable of anything... _no everything_." I rephrased, shifting my eyes on my hands. My vision was crisp and I swear I could see even the smallest grain of dust land on my palms. When my eyes darted towards the violet and misty sky I swear I could see the spectrum of colors dance within the clouds. I shook my head trying to remind myself of the crunch time we had for staying at this palace.

"We have an hour and a half to explore in the castle. We should get some proper battle experience under our belts if we ever hope to secure a route to Kamoshida's treasure." Akira announced as he looked at his cellphone briefly before putting back in his pant pockets.

We all gathered around one another with grim expressions and peered at the castle entrance.

"We should switch your names to something that doesn't indicate you're a pair. I think individualizing you two with more dominant and independent names would work. What do you think Joker?" Asked Morgana whilst examining our attire. Akira shoved both hands in his pockets and tilted his head slightly before shrugging.

"They deserve to choose a good alias this time around. I think is can speak for tge rest of when i say _Sapphire and Ruby_ are out of the question." He said while sending me a smug smile. My shoulders slumped and felt like he wasn't going to let me live that down.

 _How mortifying._

"You're not gonna let me live that one down are you?" I asked cringing a bit as his chest shook as he held back a fit of laughter.

" _Nope_." Akira said in Western English. He emphasized his "p" with an audible pop—granted had been heavily accented in Japanese and his "e" sounded more like a "u". Not that it really bothered me, but the attempt was rather amusing.

I must have been thinking aloud because Ryuji continued the conversation as if I had spoken out. This seemed to raise a few eyebrows, but neither cat or leader decided to interrupt him.

"Speaking of English, we used to "read" some american comics that our childhood neighbor gave us back in the day. If my my memory serves, I think he was an American soldier stationed in japan—he was big on anime and Western comics. We look a lot like those caped crusaders in those books. With that cape you remind me of that character with the blue hoodie. You really liked her so you named our dog after her."

"Who?"

' _Raven you twat.'_

"Who are you calling a what now? You know, you can be such a prick sometimes you know that?" I fired back albeit still amused. Akira furrowed his brows and shared a confused look with Morgana. It had completely slipped my mind to tell them about the whole telepathy topic. The previous afternoon after we spilled our heart out to Akira, I did briefly explain my own point of view about the vision I had seen—but neglected mention the peculiar ability Ryuji and I shared. .

I would obviously leave the extra and unnecessary info about being a reincarnate. Bonny had confirmed it and it would only further complicate things around the others and especially my own close-knit family. Whether I was the soul of another or not, I was now a Sakamoto through-and-through.

"Did we miss something?" Asked Morgana looking baffled. Ryuji jeered in my head and he thought of an opportunity to instill more confusion to our new group of friends.

' _We should totally mess with them. We can totally do that creepy twin thing were we finish each other's sentences. Whaddya say Ryo?_ '

' _You're impossible Ryu.'_ I thought while shaking my head before silently agreeing to his mischievous proposition. I began to reply to Morgana before breaking my sentence off for Ryuji to comolete it. "...Oh, you know, nothing—"

"...Much. Why do you—"

"...ask?" Our timing was impeccable considering we felt the moment one would initiate the urge to speak. It was odd, though there were times my emotions pooled with his own, the mental connection was completely mutual. So, in other words if Ryuji desired to establish a connection, it was made. Morgan and Akira sated wide-eyed for a second before one of them understood completely.

"You two are able to communicate through via telepathy aren't you? Why, of course!" Morgana said before face-palming himself. Akira looked genuinely impressed and blinked owlishly as Morgana elaborated. "That might also explain why both of you were able to awaken your inner rebellion together. The Meta-Verse see's you as a joined force and thus one cannot complete the other; like two disastrous forces becoming one and fighting as one. I really have to wonder how this would be affected in Mementos.—The concept of twins is varied and vast. _It would be an interesting experiment._ "

"We aren't your guinea pigs cat." Ryuji jabbed before changing the subject. " _Anyways_ , I've been thinking that my name should be something edgy. Like Slasher or Skull."

" _S-slasher_ …?" Akira sputtered while grimacing. The rest of us had a similar expression and Morgana didn't hide his face of disgust.

"Oh... _Yikes_. You sound more like the villain to a horror film. Skull seems miles better than...Slasher." I said holding back a laugh.

This seemed to amuse Akira and risked a jab at my rowdy twin. "It appears as if you two have a knack for coming up with the most unique name choices." Ryuji pouted but eventually settled on Skull. I had actually taken Ryuji's words into consideration and thought it would have been more meaningful to commemorate the name of the pup my former-self once owned.

"Okay, Skull and Raven it is." Morgana said sounding more pleased. I looked at Akira and felt very thankful for his earlier name suggestion. Though we did love the idea behind it, it did clash a little with this dark and edgy attire.

"Alright, let's head in." Akira announced giving us a very a very confident and cheeky grin. Hi attitude had done a complete one-eighty. He seemed to ooze confidence and dark allure as opposed to his dorky and witty nature. Apart of me was unwilling to admit my attraction to the dominance that radiated from his being, as I was afraid of possibly discovering myself as a masochist.

I never did get the chance to unveil my kinks in my past life, but I was physically too young to even be thinking about these impure thoughts.

Good grief. I really didn't need these toxic mental images...Ryuji could potentially scar himself if I'm not careful.

"Alright, the jokes need to stop past this point, remind yourselves of your objective and remain alert. I'm not going to sugarcoat things and tell you the wounds you get will disappear with a single spell cast. You saw Joker get those burns correct?" Morgana asked. My brows furrowed and I gave Ryuki a brief side glance before nodding in understanding. "The pain doesn't completely go away and chances are you might not even notice it make huge difference at first. That's why Joker fell quickly to the shadow steer. He was still suffering from his burns, something severe like frostbite, poisoning and paralyzation are examples of ailments I can't cure." He paused for a moment watching our expressions. "I'm just letting you know as a heads up."

"The balms and ointments should alleviate those kinds of ailments." Akira added. Morgana dangled a balm of Aloe Vera in his paws before essentially securing it into his fanny pack.

"I also realized you three seem to be tight on money, I'm assuming you know people and objects from the material world can be moved between both worlds. Well, the same goes for this place. We can steal anything of value and exchange it for money or services in the real world as too."

"A-are you serious?" Ryuji stammered. I was honestly both surprised and pleased to hear this. Bills were through the roof and if it meant we could make some quick cash this way...I was all up for it.

"So, wait, you mean the pocket knife Morgana lent me was able to appear in the real world too?" Morgana flashed his canines and grinned. Akira brought out the very same pocket knife from his back pockets and displayed it for all to see.

"I've been bringing with me ever since." Akira said before putting it away.

"Alright! For now let's clear out the rooms and secure a route to the treasure. We can keep an easy pace for today since I'll be showing you ropes." Morgana inquired before he climbed into the infiltration point.

We all clambered inside and did the same as before. —Granted this time we would have to be mindful of the ammunition, considering we sprayed them all like a couple of lunatics the first time around. I suppose playing with our new toys had made us all trigger-happy.

As we stepped out into the open I could hear the faint shrills and cries of women. The sound was a bit odd in pitch and I dare not voice my own thought. Somehow I knew something vile was amiss and it was frustrating that there wasn't much we could do now other than taking down the tyrant king.

 _Soon enough no one will have to deal with that bastard's lecherous acts and sadistic nature._

Further into our infiltration of the castle we decided to investigate the west wing of the first level. When we Akira opened the door to the small dining room we were surprised to see a shadow knight in mid stride as during what I assumed was its patrol.

"Shit—" Akira hissed before The rest of us gripped a fist full of leather jacket and pulled him against the wall. Everyone froze in place and flattened themselves in a wall of limbs and anxiety. We were all practically touching and I felt discomfort as Akira's sharp elbow hit my sensitive diaphragm. I held the pain before side stepping and stepping on Ryuji's foot and the movement caused a ripple of distortion on the floor. He reacted poorly to this and gasped before covering his mouth.

' _Crap! Sorry!'_

"Halt? Who goes there?

"Dammit!" Morgana cursed in a low tone. He ushered forward and called out to us. "Thieves, attack! I'll remove it's mask!" Morgana urged. We watched as Morgana skillfully sauntered in the air and used the tip of his cutlass blade to knock the mask from it's face.

The level of finesse he had was definitely something to marvel at.

"There isn't room for us to move around, follow up after me Skull. " Akira ordered. As Morgana drew back into the hall beside me the shadow revealed it self and summoned a support squad of Pixies and Jack O' Lanterns.

"How dare you show your face here! In the name of our voluptuous and Righteous King, you shall all perish!" The pixie said before pointing at Akira. His eyes widened before he rolled out of the way as a lighting bolt struck past the opening of the corridor towards us. Morgana and I leaped out of the way. It was by no means graceful, but I had vaguely remembered the drills we did leading up to the volleyball rally and put the landing practices to good use.

"That woodland sprite has some serious juice in that zap." I said before wheezing from the floor. They always made these kind movements look so much simpler in movies. When I regained my composure and stood up I could see the door to the infiltration bare a fresh scorch mark. Akira had summoned Arsene and I could feel his cackles bounce from the walls and into the hallway.

"I'm beginning loathe these troublesome hovering fruits. They must die." Arsene growled.

"Have at them Arsene, I've also been having cravings for pumpkin pie. Carve away and dice them to your heart's content!"Akira ordered with a wicked grin on his face. Arsene and Akira dodged an oncoming fireball and the moment he gained ground he sent Arsene to slice away at the pesky Jack O Lanterns.

After Arsene was appeased and satisfied, Ryuji took the floor and used a different move apart from his lightning. "Fire away Captain! Bombs away!" I registered the look on his face as Captain Kidd sapped away at his energy.

Captain Kidd cackled with malevolent glee and faced sideways be pivoted a booted foot over a single cannon poised on his small poopdeck."To the depths with ya'!" Captain Kidd

He fired one cannon ball at a time at the shadows before him. With the damages Arsene had done, Captain Kidd had finished the job until a low pixe was left. She however managed to dodge as the fiery projectile nearly sent her back to the abyss.

Her screams were so high pitched and I was hoping she didn't alert any other foot soldiers walking by. She crashed on the floor I could see the marring job Ryuji and Kidd had done to her. The cannon ball had clipped her left shoulder, but also tore past her and burned of a large oval-esque form on her wing.

As Ryuji prepared to make a finishing move Morgana stepped in front of him as what I assumed a way to hinder him from killing her off.—I hate to even admit this, but I really almost thought he went traitor for a small fraction of a second, it had been on of those worst case scenario thoughts, but that was immediately chalked off as he stalked towards her like prey.

I almost thought of how weird it was for Morgana to take pity before he motioned us all to join him. "Everyone! Fire on my cue!" He said before drawing his slingshot.

Akira looked as equally confused, but looked at us with a nod of affirmation. We all formed an impenetrable wall around her and drew our guns.

"This is a hold-up..! Show your hands right where I can see them, try anything funny and we'll have our boss here personally send you straight to hell."

The pixie sputtered and began to pad her neon blue leotard. "Uh, I-I don't have anything on me! I'm like, totally broke!" She said completely panic stricken. Morgana motioned towards her and gave him the go ahead to conclude the negotiations—if she didn't have anything to offer, her life was price enough.

"Come on now, surely you have something of value? Think about your situation right now miss." Akira voiced smoothly, though he was a tad too polite when it came down to the hostage situation.

"—But I, like, straight up don't have anything! Please don't kill me, can't I tot's send you a check or something..! Please let me go! Have mercy or something!"

Morgana sighed and face pawed himself. He muttered something along the lines of not being happy how this had gone and made a gesture of slitting a neck.

She's done. Finish her.

"How about sending me a postcard little lady—because I'm about to let you go to a one way trip... _to hell_." His voice was completed dead serious, but even I felt the slight hesitation in his voice. I think we all did.

—and apparently so did the freaking Pixie.

She blinked it him with a deadpan face before sputtering and letting out a very "charming" snort. Even through her pain she managed to essentially laugh her ass off at Akira's seemingly dorky way of being a badass.

Bless his heart, it wasn't cringe-worthy per se...but it was definitely off-putting.

"Oh my goodness! Like, that was so freaking hilarious! You are such a dweeb! _Like, for real_ , I'm gonna die happy I get to hear a one liner like that!" She broke in a fit of laughter and giggles before wiping a tear. "I'm such a dork too, corny one liners are tots the best!" She complimented as she sat on the royal red carpet.

It was a rather odd predicament to be honest, she seemed way too human in terms of attitude. This was really starting to complicate things and in the heat of the moment he seemed unable to comprehend what he should do right now, so instead, Akira muttered a very bashful and meek Thank you and cleared his throat in an awkward manner.—I hadn't realized compliments were his weakness. I'll have to make note of that.

"I'm going to die aren't I?" She asked sorrowfully before smiling genuinely. "You know laughing like this tot's made me remember when my old fart of dad used to say all these crappy and corny jokes. It sad I've, like forgotten about him since I've been here."

The most oddest thing happened and she started to glow. It was blue and almost...pure. I still however had my gun prepared in case it was all a ruse.

"I, like, feel funny…!" She said sounding genuinely surprised. Akira's mask started to glow the same way and I was completely slack-jawed. "You! I know what you are..! You're the bearer of a thousand masks! The Fool!"

"W-woah. What the fuck is up with his mask?" Ryuji asked in a panic.

"Bearer of a thousand masks?" Morgana asked while looking between the pixie and Akira.

"I know, how about this! I would totally join your posts or cause or whatever! You let me live and I'll come whenever you need me too? Deal?" Akira tilted his head, but smiled at the offer.

"Deal." He voiced softly.

" _Yay!~_ " The pixie cleared her throat and recited a mantra I heard Bonny once say. " _I art thou, thou art I._ With the strength of the _Lovers_ arcana I shall, like, help out and assist on your journey! Now, say my name rebel of fate and tots form a contract with me…!"

Akira's eyes widened and touched his mask gingerly. "Lend me your strength, _Pixie!"_ Her being diminished into azure flames and like some vacuum, Akira's mask drew and absorbed the wisps into the clothing article. We stayed quiet

"W-what did you just do..?" I asked trying to wrap my head around what I had just witnessed. "What did she mean by forming a contract?"

We all paused and Ryuji shit the door behind us to keep the guardsmen from hearing us. "Did she get absorbed by your mask?" Ryuji asked in bewilderment. Morgana looked very unsettled and completely surprised.

"Her mantra was the contract ritual of obtaining a Persona. Could it be that Joker is capable of using more than his one..?!"

"Would you consider that a good thing...or a bad thing? _To be quite frank with you,_ being called a bearer of a thousand masks sounds like the type of person that seems overly two-faced and dishonest." Akira admitted.

"It's definitely an anomaly of sorts, but combat wise—you'd be capable of becoming a one-man army." Morgana said before elaborating. "Normally each person has a single Persona. It could be that you have a personality that is easily influenced by those around you and can adapt quickly with whatever situation comes your way. They are definitely remarkable and rare."

"So comparatively speaking— _we're chopped liver_ and Joker here is a tender-juicy-grass-fed beef." I said feeling a pang of bitterness hit my gut. Morgana froze with and stared at me blankly. His brows furrowed before he answered bluntly.

"Your words not mine."

' _Well, excuse me for being a waste of space then.'_

Ryuji narrowed his eyes alongside me and folded his arms resentfully. " _You good sir, are an asshole."_

Before things got out hand, Akira simply cleared his throat and silently gestured towards the door. "We can talk about this afterwards..."

After a few snide comments courtesy of Morgana and some choice words from Ryuji's part, they simply glared at each other before catching up. As we marched through the halls, we heard the foreboding sound of metal and steel grinding against itself. We paused as we saw a decrepit wooden door wide open. We could hear the shadows talk among themselves.

" _Thine bounty doth outsiders bare be filling thine sight with rivers of shillings. Thy shall smite thyne retched fools."_

I propped myself against the doorway and allowed Ryuji to lean his elbow on my knee. With his injury, it didn't allow him to put too much weight into it. I could see a large group of shadows lounge in what I assumed was an armory. Axes, blades, bows—you name it, it was there. Granted, they were pretty dated in terms of style and efficiency, but I wouldn't mind taking that sweet bow with me.

Akira gestured towards everyone in the group, including himself. He made a quick slit motion over his face as opposed to his neck and motioned towards the artillery. Morgana nodded and I rephrased his movements in my head clarify.

' _He wants us all to remove the mask and flank them.'_

' _Got it. I can go for the closest guy by my left. You should get the furthest to the left.'_

We nodded in affirmation and I quietly worded the word 'left' and gestured to ourselves. Akira and Morgana nodded and we all crept into the room in sets of two. It was a painstaking process and my anxiety was at its all time high. My heart was thundering in my chest and I could practically taste the scent of coal on my lips. I watched from the corner of the square-shaped pillar, I watched carefully and noticed that the shadows had some obvious blind spots.

After I made it to the furthest pillar, I waited for the other's to get in their positions. Akira was across from me and when I saw Ryuji was set, I gave the curly-haired noirette a thumbs up. He eyed Morgana and passed as he assessed their movements. Morgana relied on his ears to detect movement and eyed Akira. He made the face-removal gesture and I voiced inwardly for Ryuji to act.

' _Now, Ryuji!'_

I could hear the rush of our footsteps and my movements felt ever so fluid. My heels climbed on the Shadows back and ghosted my gloved fingers over its mask and tore it off. I hopped off and didn't waste time to summon Anne Bonny.

"Come to me Bonny!"

The deckhand rabbit Anne Bonny emerged from an eruption of clambering chains and blazing azure flames.—My mask essentially vanished and had manifested into my Persona.

We all faced an alarming number of malevolent green horned steer and woodland creatures with flowers sprouting from their heads. Our squad grouped in a line to avoid friendly-fire and had plenty of room to fight.

" _Let us show these pests what a real pirate is capable míja!"_

I let a smirk play at my lips and I tried to envision the pain I wanted to inflict them one by one. I wanted something to deal some damage in close quarters. I wanted something with as much power as it did grace.

"Let's knock them down a few pegs Boonny." I voiced in a snarky tone. I felt my muscles tighten as if they were being strained. "Low Kick!"

Bonny sped past me leaving a trail of turbulence in her wake. The winds violently blew the tails of my cape and hoodie. She lunged towards the steer and spun lowly before making contact with their thick ankles. She managed to knock down three of the seven steer.

Ryuji followed up with a surge of lightning and much to my surprise, had the assistance of Akira and the pixie with the prissy nature.

The flower sprite screeched and nearly blew out my eardrums. The woodland creature lunged for me and it's weight was the equivalent to a full sack of bricks. I stumbled on my heals and crashed on to the floor. It's weight knocked the air out of me and it used my body as a spring to launch itself away.

The pressure and pinching my innards had suffered left me to bite my tongue. I hadn't bit my own tongue once as Ryoko, and I was sure it had been ages since my former self had bitten herself.

I rolled on my side and let out horrified gasp as another flower creature missed a lunge at my head by mere inches.

"Shit." I summoned Bonny and let her drain my spiritual energy. "Bonny, earthshaker!"

"As you wish míja." She sent pulse of energy on the floor. It traveled to the intended enemy, but Bonny and I used this as an opportunity to improvise and used the environment around us. The tectonic wave sent an artillery shelf to collapse and crush the woodland creatures nearby.

I didn't celebrate the small victory, my muscles were feeling strained and I hunched over trying to find relief.

"Zorro! Heal!" Morgana ordered before slashing away at another green-horned steer. I felt a warm wind press against my belly and I swear I got chills from the sensation. It was similar to having a bad belly ache and resting it over a warm surface. It didn't completely alleviate the pain, but it was a far cry from being useless.

"Thanks Mona." I breathed in relief.

The aftermath of the battle left the room in utter chaos. It had looked like it was victim to nature's worst weather. I guess that's what you get when lightning, hurricanes, earthquakes and black magic wreak havoc.

"Mandrake's and Bicorne's are like, tot's the worst!" Pixie flew about and dug at the debris before bringing out a pouch of money. "Tada!"

I found myself chuckling and rather found her attitude...endearing. As ridiculous as her speech was, she didn't seem all that bad.

We did end up digging through the debris to find any pocket change or items that were salvageable.

I grabbed a basic long sword and strapped it in an old leather sheath pocket that was strewn about.

Ryuji grabbed an old rusty mallet and seemed content to finally have something tangible to attack with.

We pressed further and had no major issues with the security level of the palace. Apparently our little scuttle was done correctly to avoid any suspicion. We eventually barged into a safe room and when the door closed, I let myself collapse on the floor.

We all dropped into our seats and decided to update the map a bit. By the time we had gotten there, our time was running short and we knew making the trek back would be terrible.

That is, until siri's was vil cousin spoke up from Akira's cellphone. He had been busy munching on a merger granola bar before the robotic voice chimed in.

"Select destination."

Akira stopped chewing for a second before chewing a lot more slowly. He blinked owlishly and read it out-loud.

"Palace...gate…?"

Just then the distortion in the room became sporadic and it was as if the whole room was melting away. Akira spit out his food to keep himself from choking and the chair underneath me disappeared. We stumbled as brains sent a wave our vertigo with the way the distortion hurt our eyes.

"Holy shit…! Ryuji gasped at the odd sensation.

When the dizziness faded away I blinked at the scene before me, I was met with the sight of the entrance gate of the castle.

 _"Looks like we have don't need to worry about running back…"_


	12. Chapter 12: I am a dog

**Chapter 12: "I am a dog..."**

 **Dairy Entry Date: 04/15**

* * *

 _ **Warning: The following chapter you're about to read has topics of suicide and suggestive topics. Viewer discretion is advised. The graphic and nature is mild and tame compared to a majority of fiction stories available, but I will still give my readers a fair warning.**_

 _ **I think we all knew the 15th would come eventually. I would be lying if I said this was a smooth chapter to type out—it clearly wasn't, I had to make up for a few scenes in particular to keep the story to flow as best as I could.**_

 _ **Anywho, if you haven't noticed, the butterfly effect has clearly already taken place in the story and though the base of the story is similar Persona 5, it will still end up quite different. I have to take Akira's now solid personality into account, Ryoko's character, Ryuji's increasing level of maturity and many supporting characters that lost their opportunity in the spot-light. A lot of scenes will be portrayed or executed differently; like the scene with Anne trying to speak with Akira and probe him for answers, but instead coming into contact with Ryuji & Ryoko in the hallways. **_

_**My reasoning is that, I don't want to write scenes word-for-word and contradicting Ryoko's reason for existing by simply giving her two lines. (The same goes for our beloved Akira.) That and she's going to screw with the space-time continuum anyways, so I don't see the point in holding back.**_

 _ **I also want to stray from Shin-Megami-Tensei incantation names. I'm aiming for a more natural feel for their powers—and less of a role playing game atmosphere if you will. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against others using it at all, I actually love how some authors can execute it beautifully into their story. However, I would still like to approach how I've been going about it so far.**_

 _ **On a lighter note, I'd lIke to thank all of you for 100 followers. It makes me believe I'm going somewhere with this story—even though I feel most of it is word vomit. Thank you truly.**_

 _ **Please leave me your responses or questions, I read them all the time and they truly motivate me and get these gears turning for ideas.**_

* * *

The following morning had started as per usual. My morning routine was in it's final stages of settling in; but for whatever reason, I felt some sort of gut feeling the day was a little off. I tried to shrug off that gut feeling as nothing but a form of social anxiety.

However, as the day progressed, I could no longer ignore the sensation.

Well, I did have an oral presentation for English in Mrs. Chouno's class and I figured _that_ was the underlying cause of it. Another reason for my added nerves had been for Mishima's sake. I did notice a number of bruises blemishing his ivory skin. He also had a split lip and a had been flinching when someone walked by him too quickly. Well,—per se he's been like that since the day I sat behind him, but he seemed more mousy than usual.

 _There had been times when I began to wonder whether letting him go home the other day had done more harm than good._

Anytime I tried getting an update from him, but he merely dodged my questions every time. Somewhere along the line he knew bwing out in the open allowed him the chance to evade my pestering. Ryuji and Akira had suspected that Kamoshida had threatened the entire team from speaking out, there was no doubt Mishima felt cornered and out of options to save himself.

As for Shiho, I hadn't seen her since the volleyball rally. Every so often I saw a member of the ladies varsity volleyball team with bruises in questionable areas. Whatever foundation they had been using to cover up their injuries must have been high-grade material.

To the blind eye, the female members had looked as everyone else did. There were no traces of marrying skin or inflamed markings. I only noticed when I walked into the bathroom during lunch and saw a girl applying it like a professional. She use a liquid foundation and a blending powder to keep it from having a cakey look.

 _Doesn't that hurt..?_

She looked at me and rolled her eyes with in what I believed was in good nature. I hadn't even realized I had worded that aloud. My brain didn't always have a filter to form a carefully constructed sentence.

"Naw," She said probably forcing a light laugh. "It stopped hurting after I took some aspirin. I'm such a dork, I got overconfident and tried to save a ball…" I watched as she effortlessly covered up the injury and the finish was smooth over her arm.

"That coverage is crazy…" I said completely baffled as to how a high schooler managed to get their hands on something of that caliber. Either that, or it was the student herself who mastered the art of concealment.

"It's the good stuff," The member agreed matter-of-factly. "We all use this, it gets the job done."She picked up her belongings and had the manners to at least bid me a good day.

"Later, _Rolling Thunder_. Good to see you haven't changed.."

 _Rolling...Thunder?_

I waved dumbfoundedly at her retreating figure and had finished drying my hands. At least I understood why the injuries in the male team had been blatantly obvious compared to its female counterpart. The entire lunch dragged on and I still felt some sort of sense of dread.

It felt as if someone was either watching me, the overbearing sense of despair seemed to ooze from my very being. My thoughts were muddled trying to pinpoint the reason as to why I was experiencing such a negative wave of emotions.

 _Had I eaten something bad..?_

A shift of movement to my right was caught by the edge of peripheral vision—Akira who had been sitting adjacent to me had stopped feeding Morgana. His shoulders were parallel to mine and I had the sense that he was waiting for me to acknowledge him.

When I turned to face him, he had a thoughtful look in his eyes and a small wrinkly in between his eyebrows. A look of concern plain as day on his seemingly flawless features.

"...Something wrong? _You look tired_." He stated before Morgana hopped on the table. I simply went with the most natural and silent way of admitting it with a small sigh. My food had hardly been touched and it was unusual on my part, I was a growing girl and my appetite was very healthy.

"Um, It's nothing that important..." When I said this he seemed to think otherwise since his pasture switched to that of doubt and attentiveness. He moved his chair to face me properly rested his folded arms on the table.

" _It certainly_ _doesn't seem "nothing."_ You've been boasting about making that roast-beef sandwich since yesterday. It's definitely not like you to pass up on the luxury." Akira said blatantly. I gave a lopsided smile and had to agree. After we fled with the goodies we "repurposed" from the palace, we ended up cashing it out at the Airsoft Shop in central street. Apparently pawning off items was service they had.

We didn't need to give the man any explanations, but he did give us a knowing look as to how we got our hands on to "loot" like this.

Long story short, we used some the money to upgrade on combat gear. They were pretty basic in forms of practicality, but it was an upgrade regardless. I did have a few yen to spare, so I thought getting some actual protein in our fridge was very much deserved.

Pork and Eggs were great and all, but it pales when one could compare it to beef. Of course, had had been quite...eager the entire time. The group had noticed. So, it was quite peculiar to the other two as they had seen my earlier attitude as to the one that was presented now. Ryuji and I had dropped them off at the subway station before heading of to buy groceries.

"Ryuji even sent a picture of you with watery eyes at the site of two pounds of sliced meat." Morgana said looking a tad uncomfortable bringing up the memory.

' _How wonderful, now I know I can trust no one.'_ I thought sardonically.

I will say, I was in fact very expressive about buying fresh roast beef and bacon to make meaty sandwiches. Meat was certainly expensive and I had been looking forward to eating it. I suppose that my shift in behavior seemed to raise flags and did not go unnoticed.

Akira took my silence as a confession and straightened himself out. I could only imagine he was trying to read my expression

as I had done a quite a few times with him.

"I'm feeling a bit tension weighing over my shoulders right now." I stated as I drew if my carefully. He wasn't satisfied with the answer and waited for me to elaborate. "...Everyday that passes by, _is another day Kamoshida reigns free to harm more students._ The worry isn't for my own well-being, rather to the people I see everyday. I sit behind Mishima...and I constantly notice that his bruising is often persisting or even multiplying...I'm _aware_ we can't rush the process to change Kamoshida's heart, but I'm afraid he might snap one day— _just as he did with Ryuji and I_."

 _Well, my former self, but that's beside the point._

"It's good that you're concerned about your classmates, but letting yourself slip into a state of depression isn't going to help them either." Morgana advised.

"By skipping a meal you wouldn't be doing yourself any favors either... if your plan is to face of against the King. We need you at full strength _Ryo-chan_." Akira voiced thoughtfully. I couldn't exactly argue with him there—not that I ever could, he was a smooth talker and I couldn't ever picture myself ever being irritated by his cool demeanor.

" _You're right_ ," I said before playing with my juice box. "I suppose we all have to power through until then." The sooner we secure that treasure—the sooner this school would start to tear down the impenetrable walls of social segregation. People were preferring to stay oblivious than actually see what laid in front of them.

I was about to take his advice at front value until I noticed the lack of a decent meal on his end.

"You know, Melon Pan isn't going to be capable of nourishing " _The Bearer of Thousand Masks._ " I said, essentially raising an eyebrow in his direction.

" _The Bearer of a Thousands Masks_ has a unique food pyramid. Curry and Rice for breakfast leaves a man craving for a bottle of antacids."

"What does that have to do with the bread?" I asked shooting him a baffled look.

"It doesn't, I'm just not very hungry right now." He stated while shrugging his shoulders.

Morgana stopped grooming himself and narrowed his eyes at him. "Eating bread to calm down a heartburn seems counterintuitive. You're going to get a serious case of constipation at this rate Akira-kun."

" _D-don't put that image out there Morgana..!"_ Akira stammered. His voice went up a few octaves to display his embarrassment.

I let out an ungraceful snort and nearly felt the juice go up my nose. My hand flew to my face and I awkwardly wiped my mouth. Morgana mewed and I heard him get knocked on the ground.

My shoulders shook with laughter let the wave of amusement roll in fits from my body. It was moments like this that made me feel like the world was an alright place.

I dared to spare a look in Akira's direction and I could see a faint shade of pink undertone that formed a light gradient over his cheeks and ears. — _A perfect mixture of rushing blood fading beneath pale ivory skin._

After a few moments my laughter died down and we sat there comfortably. Before either of us could muster up another word something slammed heavily on the club's sliding door. My heart leaped, a cold feeling washed over me went up to my head and down my spine. It had startled me horribly.

Akira, Morgana and I gasped and not a moment later Ryuji came barreling through the door. He looked pale and bore a look that I could only describe as complete horror. He was panting and his lanyard bearing his Journalism I.D bounced violently with each strained breath. Akira and I jumped abruptly from our chairs and panicked.

"Ryuji?"

"Ryu—What's wrong?" I asked as I tried to picture any scenario that would explain his reaction. He answered in between ragged breaths and looked at us as if he'd seen a ghost.

"No time..! Suzui...San! She's…! On the…! Roof..!"

"Suzui-san is on the roof…?" Akira rephrased. We paused for a second and realized why Ryuji had seemed so urgent. What the hell was Shiho doing on the roof..?

"…"

"Why would she be on the roof?" I questioned. In a moment it clicked. His reaction and the urgency of his tone. Something was definitely wrong. Was someone trying to harm her? Or was she doing something that was potentially dangerous?

"Wait a minute...D-don't tell me—" I spoke completely aghast. Ryuji nodded his head eyes flew wide open and a trail of ice flowed through my veins. My blood ran cold and my feet felt rooted to the ground as I tried to process his words. "...What?"

"We have to hurry. Ryo-chan!" Morgana said nipping at my leggings. I snapped out my daze and shook my head as I willed my legs to move. My heart thundered in my chest and I prayed Shiho hadn't done the unthinkable.

"Come on! The prez of the gardening club is trying to get Suzui-san to open the roof door."

"How do you know that Ryuji-kun?" Akira asked while we ran downstairs trying to leave the elective wing. Other students apparently became aware of the situation and started to crowd the exits, forming an impenetrable horde.

"Her club has a nursery there. She and a few third years are trying to break down into the rooftop. Madam prez is there too and she called when I was—" Shit, we can't go all the way around. We have to push through." Ryuji grabbed my wrist and I put a free and on his shoulder to keep myself from getting pulled too far behind. Akira stayed behind me and seemed to get a bit aggravated by the crowd of people.

"Move!" Ryuji hissed. I could hear the squeals and groans of people getting either their feet trampled or getting elbowed by a neighboring student.

It was absolute chaos…

"Shit—" My heart rate was going through the roof and the tension was thick in the air. The hordes of alumni coagulated and the traffic was atrocious. Each passing second was another moment we were losing to impede Shiho's attempt at her own life.

"Please Suzui-senpai...hang in there..!" A girl screamed as she watched from the windows. We almost stopped until Ryuji ushered us forward while spouting curses under his breath. When we rushed down the stairs.

"Get out of my way!" I could see a familiar blonde plowing through the crowd blatantly blasting obscenities in her wake. She sounded very flustered and enraged as the wave of bodies increased.

There was no way we would cut through the courtyard fast enough at this rate. Even in the mayhem, some people had the nerve to record their experiences. — _They were in the way...and they had the audacity to submerse themselves into their morbid fascination_.

"—You sick fucks. I told you to let me through,how can you guys idle around? Save her!" Takamaki hissed. A few people felt her wrath and began to back away. We took the opportunity to barrel our way through the dense crowd of people. Ryuji took the front meanwhile Akira took the rear and I was sandwiched between them.

I'll never forget the collective screams and gasp that pierced the air that day. I never got to see her jump—nor did I hear her fall. The silence that followed was defeating and even with Ryuji towering over me and blocking my sight... _I knew._

The time we had spent trying to reach the courtyard had been far too long. Efforts from our upperclassmen had been in vain and I could feel the hot stinging sensation of tears threatening to cloud my sight.

" _Son of bitch…We're too late._ "Ryuji growled. His fingers clenched in a vice around my own and his skin felt cold. The world had stopped and above all cries one in particular stood out from the rest. Takamaki's blood curdling scream was one that would haunt me for days to come.

First responders were already at the scene and weren't fast enough to deploy a shoot. Police and staff were trying to control the masses of students from looking at what I assumed was Shiho's crumpled body.

EMT's surrounded her and began to perform lifesaving resuscitation via defibrillator. From the sheer looks of it, she must have gone through cardiac arrest. We stayed frozen in our spots and there seemed to be a collective silence in the air.

"Clear."

From my line of sight, I was only able to see her legs and the EMT's trying to save her. I wanted to look away, but I also wanted to see her breath. Our conversation had been brief, but it only seemed to plague my mind that I hadn't properly seen the warning bells of a person who had been fed up with life. What had happened since then?

Could I have said anything to keep her from doing this to herself..?

"I've got a pulse.."

"Alright let's go ahead and stabilize her condition with the IV drip." The EMT's kept a slow pace as to not trigger an adrenaline response and moved her to a stretcher and began to transfer her to the ER vehicle.

"What's with the easy-going attitude…?" Akira questioned in a somber tone.

"They can't rush, they'll make mistakes if the do…" Ryuji answered not tearing his eyes from the scene.

The only reason I knew they had to behave in a calm manner—was only due to Ryuji confiding in me when I was being transferred. Apparently he had a rebuttal with one of the EMT's when he woke up from his blackout episode. Needless to say, he was aggravated by their lack of urgency. Through the ride he had been calmly told their reasoning behavior on our way to the hospital.

"We' need a supervisor or a representative from her class to come along. Someone needs to fill out her paperwork and inform us of any allergies."

The school staff seemed to hesitate as they didn't hold such knowledge off the bat.

"We could go fetch the school nurse..surely she can help." A heavy set teacher muttered. This seemed to displease the technician and he shook his head.

"No can do. _We have to leave now._ " The EMT answered growing albeit impatient. "Anyone will do at this point."

Ryuji let go of my hand and began to plow through the crowd. Takamaki broke past an officer and made herself known by announcing in. A firm tone. "I'll go. I can get a hold of her parents after I fill out her paperwork!"

The staff didn't speak against it and let her aboard the vehicle. Ryuji pushed past our group and took advantage of the stunned crowd.

"Hey..! Ryu? Where do you think you're going?"

As the EMT's were about to close the door, he flashed them his lanyard and gave a pointed look at Takamaki as he spoke. I didn't catch a world he said in the commotion, but I assumed he was permitting himself to ride along. They paused and and nodded before motioning him inside. Akira and I sprinted towards the ambulance and paused when an officer cut us off in mid-step.

Ryuji shook his head and simply looked at Akira before he spoke up. "Take care of her until I'm gone. I'll text you later so we can meet up. _Yeah?_ "

Akira spared me a glance before he quietly nodded.

"Ryu..?" I voiced with uncertainty.

Just what in the world had he hoped to accomplish by going along? Maybe, he could relate all too well what was going on and in her mind, perhaps he thought he could be moral support for Takamaki?

' _That's right…' I thought. 'He knows exactly how she feels...He's the only one that could properly comprehend her right now.'_

The doors closed and the car drive off. It took the grassy pathway in between the gym and into the track field. Chatter now rang felt in the air and I closed my eyes prayed Shiho's own welfare.

A tranquil warmth found itself over my shoulder and I looked up only to see the partial view of his gunmetal-gray eyes—the left rim of his specs had reflected the glare of the sunlight.

"We should get going…" He voiced

I nodded numbly before allowing myself to be towed away by my bespectacled companion. I took solace in his presence and we eventually made our way back to gather our belongings. Akira had awaited patiently for me to grab my things, neither of us spoke a word until Kaede walked into the room with Mishima and a third year with ginger curly-short hair trailing behind.

She for a lack of words looked beyond upset..they all did. Kaede's eyes looked glazed and she ruthlessly slammed the door and pulled out a chair for Mishima to take a seat. He jumped from the scraping noise the chair made and sat obediently.

"Tell them what you just told me, so help me God, Mishima-san— _I will tell them myself._ "

Akira looked uneasy given the sudden turn in the atmosphere. "What's going on here..?"

The curly haired ginger folded her arms over her gym attire and shut her eyes. "Suzui-san…W-we saw her..fall." She said pulling out a soft handkerchief from her pocket and dried her eyes.

Kaede didn't bat an eyelash and slammed her hands down on the table. The notion frightened me and Akira steadied me with one arm before furrowing his brows.

"I saw, her.— _We all did"_ Kaede said trembling and shaking at her words. "She kept saying she was a dog. _—His bitch..!_ We didn't make it in time…!"

"She used the tables and pottery to barricade herself on the roof. I was going to check on our prized cabbages...but then realized the door would budge."

Mishima covered his ears and I could see a single tear roll down his bruised cheek. "Please stop..! I'll tell you everything else! Just please…! No more…!"

"What on earth are you hiding Mishima-San?" I asked trying to contain the outrage and hysteria bubbling inside me. Mishima's shoulders shook into choking sob and and I wondered just how far Kamoshida's abuse had really taken its toll on him.

"...Coach Kamoshida would have "private" sessions with one person he'd nominate anytime he was upset. He'd use whatever he'd get his hands on...rope, paddles anything. He has different ways to punish everyone, so there's no way of telling of what he's done to Suzui-san…!"

The ginger-haired girl covered her mouth in horror and shook her head in sorrow. I'd later find out say was the Gardening club's president. "Her words are forever instilled into my head."

" _I'm a dog...I'm his bitch.._ " Kaede added, taking off her glasses and wiping away the tears in her eyes. "She wasn't the type to curse so openly. I think we have a pretty good idea of exactly what he's done to her."

Her words hit us hard and it was followed by a deafening silence. The heaviness in the air was palpable. I struggled to find the words to even add at this rate.

 _To think not even moments ago I had finally enjoyed myself while Shiho attempted to end her life._

We heard Mishima explain about the deprivation and explicit nature of these sessions. Kamoshida would order him to remove his shirt and pitted him against a wall so he could beat him with whatever he saw fit—be it his hands, a ruler a paddle. It was as he said earlier, it was whatever he could get his hands on until the bastard was tired and left panting.

"—I'd do anything to get him to stop. So, I pleaded and begged, it never worked. This went on for months to come, but then he heard of the new transfer student one who had a criminal record. He was so angry...I pleaded like always—and for once, he did listen to my pleas. He told me he would "cut me some slack" and skip on to the next person. I..just didn't think it would only be Suzui-san at the time."

"He took you up on the offer…" Stated Kaede. Mishima nodded slowly before burying his face in his palms.

"W-what did you do for him..?" I found myself asking.

" _I…"_ Mishima paused not daring to look at either of us. " _I leaked Kurusu-san's records…"_

Everyone gasped and looked from Mishima and back at Akira. He looked disappointed, but no hint of anger came from him.

"Akira-kun…?" I asked concern leaving my voice.

"The damage is already done and it can't be taken back…" He breathed deeply before adding. "People would have treated me like an outsider regardless of the record.—but that's beside the point, this isn't about me is it?" He faced Kaede and looked at her before speaking. "We have two tied cases where a person has been sent to the Emergency room by that monster. What are we going to do?" Akira questioned. He folded his arms in an uncharacteristic manner and gave a pointed look at Kaede.

"We could bring this up to the police when they investigate, but chances are they might not do anything since the school has a tendency to pull strings. I'm not an expert on federal regulations, but I'm assuming a case like this could take months to be solved.—That is...if they decide to take it…" She paused before taking a deep breath. "Unfortunately there is an unpleasant statistic that makes it clear suicides are far too common here in Tokyo…"

"So we do nothing then..? Someone else landed in the hospital because of him." I growled. Kaede paused before looking pensive.

"To the police, it could be chalked off as teen angst. If Kamoshida is the monster we all know—which he is, he'll charm everyone into believing she tried to harm herself from work related stress. Like not making it in the team line-up for nationals, or even getting kicked out of the team entirely."

"He did use our family background to make the others believe Ryuji was bred for trouble. It's scary how he's using defamatory tactics to get his way." I growled, disdain lacing my voice.

"So this new coach really isn't the man he portrays himself to be. Something of this nature cannot be ignored." The curly haired ginger said—determination clear in her voice. I could tell from her eyes she was a genuine person through and through. She definitely seemed like someone we could trust.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do. However, I can't make any promises. Haru-chan here is a key eye-witness, I'm sure she and I can find a lawyer for such a case. We have the evidence here and I'm sure we can pull one over the school administration for lack of proper conduct. You should all get to class for now. They're going hold study hall for the entire day with everything that happened today."

"Very well... _We'll leave that part to you then._ " Akira said before dismissing himself. I didn't trail far behind and I escaped the heavy atmosphere in the club room. This was ridiculous, there was no way for us to know whether or not Kaede could pull something that grand. Somehow I knew Akira felt the same way.

The idea for awaiting months to come was far too long in my book. If the police and the school administrators were against the student body, Kamoshida was free to do with whatever he wanted. There was still the possibility of her plan backfiring. Without the the upper hand, even a lawyer could be blackmailed or even bought out by the school administration. I really wouldn't put it past them at this rate.

 _He really was the king here_.

We walked into the hallways and down the stairs trying to leave the elective wing once more. Akira stopped abruptly and turned around before a voice called out to us.

"There you are…" Morgana muttered. He was situated above a set of lockers and with the grace of a feline, he hopped down and padded closer to us. "I've been keeping tabs on the palace as usual. It doesn't look pretty in there."

"What do you mean by that?" Questioned Akira. His voice didn't have its usual relaxed tone—it was far more distant and cold.

"His reaction to the young woman's actions have enraged him. After I came back I did hear something of interest being discussed between the officials of the school. I heard the Vice Principal making a very desperate call to one of their associates."

"They're already trying to finds ways to keep the word from spreading." Akira voiced grimly before running a fingers through his curls in a motion of frustration.

"That's not all, there was discussion with _what I assumed_ was the head of the school saying he wanted "all eyes on the school press." They plan on silencing your club for good."

"What do you mean silencing us for good..?" I asked feeling my anxiety bubble up. I felt sick to my stomach and today had been nothing but an emotional roller coaster.

"My guess is they plan on eradicating the club entirely. Saying something to the extent of not having enough members anyway—and being a general threat to the alumni's image of the school campus."

"They don't want to take any risks, if that's the case...then wouldn't that mean Haru-senpai's and Kaede-senpai's efforts will be in vain?" Akira wondered.

" _Let's hope not._ Maybe they won't be put to waste if we manage to convince the "King" to step of his high horse. If we steal his y _ou know what,_ he miay be able to cooperate with the lawyer they plan on hiring. The administration wouldn't stand a chance against a culprit who's willing to fess up to his crimes."

"They'd cut all ties with him." Akira agreed.

"Exactly."

"Nobody would suspect our team of thieves. The public would simply brush it off as his guilt making him cooperate. It seems like a good plan." Morgana commended.

Akira looked around briefly before opening his bag to let Morgana crawl inside. We marched back to our class without another word.

Since we had study hall, we would have to make our way back to our homeroom. When we came back flashing her our lanyards she merely nodded and smiled. Even if the higher-ups were threatening our power as the school press, we didn't think Kawakami-sensei was a part of that issue.

 _She still let us have our bit of freedom we had._

Mishima showed up a little while later with a pass from the nurse's office and kept his head low as to avoid our eyes. His actions had been upsetting, but I suppose it was understandable. I couldn't exactly speak on Akira's behalf though, since it was a move against his person. However, I did doubt he would hold a grudge against Mishima after everything that been going on.

The mood was of course completely somber and heavy. I couldn't even focus on the homework question I had laying in front of me. It didn't matter how many times I read it—my mind would just blank out.

I decided updating my diary would be the proper form of trying to organize my thoughts. It's original intention of trying to help me remember had so far been fruitless. Now that I knew exactly why I couldn't recall my past, writing in it seemed pointless. Those memories were only mine in body alone. Not the soul that resided in it now.

Still, if I stopped adding on to it, I'm sure Ryuji would notice me not having it on my person. That, and, I really didn't want him to know about the details and musings my brain spat on paper.

I suppose this dairy was as close as I'd get to a best friend in this life. The only one I could truly trust with all these secrets and toxic emotions.

Ryoko or not, I would have to convince the boys to make another trip to the palace today. We needed to secure the route to Kamoshida's treasure. I would owe my former self that much.

Class dragged on sealed up the brown leather dairy and tucked it in the confines of my school bag. I'd since added gold leather strap with a buckle and made sure it was never too far from me. Lest I hope no one ever gets their paws on this.

I might just have to play the friend fiction card...and I really didn't want to resort to that.

By the time we cleaned up the homeroom, Akira awaited patiently at the end row of desks behind me. We walked out together and he inquired the info on Ryuji and Takamaki's current whereabouts. He then showed me the text exchange he had with my brother.

"As it turns out, the rumors were false in a sense that she's dating Kamoshida. Apparently she had been flirting with him to ensure Suzui-san's chance of making the starting line-up."

"Why was she trying to drill you for answers that day?" I asked recalling the little run-in Ryuji and I had with her.

"Ryuji said she was no stranger to Kamoshida's power. She was legitimately trying to give us a fair warning." Akira paused before adding. "There is a bit of an issue though, she knows we're up to something, it's why she was in the club wing in the first place during lunch.

"That hadn't even crossed my mind...She's been trying to snoop around us. That's not good. It's tough enough that the administration is on our backs."

"More like Madam President's back, it would be rude of us to turn our backs after everything she's done for us."

"Without question even…" I agreed and Akira hummed in response.

Morgana poked his head from the bag slightly and wrinkled his nose. "Ryuji also wrote down the address of the clinic so we could take their belongings to them." I looked down and noticed Akira had been carrying a tote similar to ours, but had an excessive amount of charms dangling from its strap.

"You'd think I'd be able to nice with the amount of noise it's making. We might need to bring his gym bag since there's a chance it might get discovered…"

"...You may have a point." He said before handing me Takamaki's bag. I held it gingerly and made sure the zippers were closed before we walked back to the club room.

With a spare key, we unlocked Ryuji's locker and walked off with his belongings. Nobody really questioned us as a majority of the students had seen them leave abruptly with nothing, but the clothes on their backs.

Not that I cared at moment. It truly bothered me just how many people had suffered bystander syndrome…

 _I hoped I'd never follow in their example._


	13. Chapter 13: A Maiden's Cry

**Chapter 13: A Maiden's Cry**

 **Diary Entry Date: 04/15**

* * *

Akira, Morgana and I had marched our way to the General Hospital in a painstakingly slow pace. By now, I knew the path there by memory and only needed to read the name of the address to recall my way there. In all honesty, it was the only place I could really head off to without losing my way.

I suppose it was technically the building I had been " _born_ " in so, I did hold somewhat of a special attachment to the place. Not that the environment was chipper and lovely, but it had marked the beginning of this otherwise hectic and beautiful life I was now living.

When we approached the front of the building, I could already see the tension between two figures sitting quietly at a bench in a rather unoccupied smoking corner. I recognized my brother's figure as soon as he came into view. We deterred ourselves from the path of entrance of the leading inside the hospital and made a beeline to their direction.

Takamaki was understandably shaken, her eyes were red and puffy and a bit of her eyeliner had smudged from the eye rubbing she must have been doing. Upon instinct and hurried and pulled out a handkerchief I kept in my bag. As a gesture of human empathy I quietly sat beside her and offered it to her. My brows knit together and very slowly, but albeit awkwardly patted her back.

"Thank you." She voiced gratefully before taking it and blowing her nose with it. Her voice was starting to sound nasally and I was sure she had used up the entire tissue supply the hospital had lying around. Akira had quietly given Ryuji his belongings. Our totes together hadn't been heavy per se, but the actual dimensions of the bag made riding the subway very difficult and uncomfortable.

Ryuji had an uncharacteristic expression. It raised flags in my head and I remember he only bore that face when he spoke to Mother during her episodes. As he quietly updated Akira on the situation, his voice was soft and distant. Akira looked concerned and furrowed his brows.

"How is she?" Asked Akira in a hushed tone.

"Doctors are doing their best man. She's strapped onto wires from head to toe—and the fucking machine is breathing for her." His voice cracked and Ryuji looked up, his eyes glimmered before he put his hands on his hips and kept his pasture away from me. My shouldered stiffened and took a deep breath. "I need a breather…we can't talk openly about everything here." He said gesturing a look at Takamaki.

"I understand, lead the way." Akira voiced sympathetically.

Seeing him break away from us generally surprised me. For the first time, (since I had woken up) Ryuji was trying to confide in others instead of me. Normally I'd be miffed about something like this, but it really did pull at my heartstrings because he was beginning to trust Akira well enough to know he might have some good insight. To be honest, I wasn't going to be very much help in trying to cool him off right now, because Ryuji occasionally cries when he's angry. Hot-tempered tears or not, I would probably cry with him too.

Being an empathetic cryer was a huge drawback in trying to provide comfort and advice. So, I wasn't entirely ready to provide Takamaki that type of moral support in a collected manner. Once I heard their footfalls fade into the distance I decided I would at least attempt to support my seemingly inconsolable classmate.

"Takamaki-san—" I froze for a moment not knowing what to say. It's not like I could give her false hope. She looked at me with trembling pursed lips and my genuine reaction had been to furrow my brows and purse my lips. My heart couldn't take the pang of sorrow as I looked at her distraught face. Her sadness and despair seemed to ooze from her being—it was so palpable I could practically breath it in.

—Knowing exactly what it was like holding a damn of emotions back I spoke the words she needed to hear. I wouldn't spout lies and tell her everything was alright—when that clearly wasn't the case. My arms fanned out in an open motion and extended my fingers to her. "It's okay, you can let it out. Please don't bottle it in Takamaki-san."

As expected, her body shook in a fit of hiccups and she practically threw herself on my abdomen. Her grip was like a vice and it had genuinely surprised me how strong she really was. I patted her back in an attempt to sooth her. The back of my eyes began to burn and a well of hot tears began to spill over my own cheeks. "You have to be strong Takamaki-san. Suzui needs you now—more and than ever before."

"I-I know…! I'm supposed to be her best friend dammit..! I knew there was something wrong, I just didn't think it was this bad—No, I didn't want to believe it was this bad! I'm an idiot—a stupid freaking idiot..! I hate myself!" She gripped on to the hem of my blazer and sobbed violently.

"Takamaki-san. You have nothing to feel sorry for. You can't blame yourself for something Suzui-san's state. You can get as many warning signs as you want, that type of action she committed can't be stopped unless someone was with her twenty-four-seven. Even so, you know our culture makes us prioritize education and our livelihood first above all else. Who knew what kind of stress she was going through—If anything, you may be the reason why she had been holding out for so long...Takamaki-San." She drew up from my and began to wipe away at the bodily fluids on her face with the handkerchief.

"You really think so..?"

"Of course I do. That's what best friends do, they take comfort and solace by simply being in each other's company." I said before wiping away a stray tear rolling down my cheek. "You don't have to feel like you must hear this alone also, I'm more than happy to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on."

Her aquamarine eyes welled and she let the tears roll down her cheeks. She took a deep and bated breath before giving. A brief pause and looking into the hospital parking lot.

"...I guess I can tell you." She said before turning her gaze at the handkerchief in her palms. "I think Shiho's problem stems from her parents. They are incredibly strict when it comes to schooling and studies...They can be kind, but because Shiho was going into nationals…it would have looked magnificent in her transcripts for scholarships everywhere. Shiho being oldest of three, has siblings who admire her and even view her as a role model. I hate to say it, but to her parents, her social standing is everything to them." Takamaki paused before wiping her nose. "They...are in financial debt. Akane; Shiho's mother has a terrible spending problem and her father is having a difficult time paying of the mortgage to their home. I've tried to lend a hand, but I get the feeling the debt toll is larger than she lead on. You see, she needs that scholarship to pull herself and her parents from the apparent shithole they found themselves in."

"I see, do she really did have quite the burden on her shoulders…"

"Despite the lack of income her mother was still attending parties and holding extravagant events they couldn't afford...Social standing means everything to her mother and father. That's why she hated rumors and popularity. She couldn't stand the idea of being labeled as something simply out ic observation alone. She was always labeled, but not one person bothered to actually know her."

"Is that what drew you together?" I found myself asking.

"It is…I was labeled by everyone around me and she was the only person to have the guts to speak to me then. You and Ryuji followed after. You were pretty popular back then."

"That's odd, I never knew that…"

"It's not that hard to believe actually, we were all kids back then and twins generally becomes far more interesting topic when you see them up close. You two were pretty weird, but very likeable." She managed to smile for a brief second before a look of anger overcame her striking features. "Although her situation was stressing, I have a feeling another factor was causing Shiho to withdraw herself from me."

" _Kamoshida_ …" I worded without thinking too much. Her body froze and and stared at me. It didn't take her too long until her gaze shifted to the pavement below our feet."

" _Yes_." She answered, her voice had cracked and her fingers laced around the fabric of the handkerchief unlike her knuckles were white. "Before Shiho blacked out. She...said she was...his bitch. She repeated it like a mantra. She only managed to tell me she wasn't pure...that _Kamoshida took her purity_."

My stomach churned before my eyes began to water. How was it that this man was getting away with something so vile? I spared my classmate a look and Takamaki-san's face was beet red from the constant tears and boiling hate she was feeling. I frowned and decided I'd ty to cool her down as best I could.

I sighed and mustered an even tone."...Listen Takamaki-san, I know things are dire right now, but you remain strong and stay by Suzui-san's side. I'm sure my brother has already told you to keep holding hope. Believe in her own strength and support her by talking to her everyday. She may not be able to respond, but chances are she will be able to hear you eventually. I know it." I put a sympathetic hand over her shoulder and tried my best to smile for her.

"Is that really true..?" Takamaki said through her sniveling. I gave a resolute nod and encouraged her to sit up straight. She must have been convinced by the sureness in my eyes and found a moment to build her own resolve.

This seemed to stir something in her and her attitude did a completely one-eighty degrees. She vigorously wiped away her tears with her sleeve and slapped her cheeks with an audible smack before standing tall.

 _Isn't that the type of stuff Ryuji pulls when he's getting too emotional?_

"I can't believe I've let myself fall so deep into this pit. Shiho deserves better than the type of friend I've become. She's strong...and I have to follow in her example…!"

"That's the spirit Takamaki-San. I'm sure your voice will give her some sort of solace." I voiced in encouragement. I rose from my seat on the wooden bench before offering her a warm smile. Though I was still weary of having her linger around our small group, I still wished no ill will her way. "Please, if there's anything you need, or someone to talk to don't hesitate to ask me or Ryuji"

"I guess I really still can count on you two even after all this time."

"You got that right." Ryuji voiced nasally, no doubt he had actually gotten emotional and quite possibly cried. He and Akira approached us from behind the bench, both sharing a look of severity and attentiveness. "Don't hesitate to call me when you need it. You have my chat I.D, so if you want to keep us updated on Suzui-san's condition your more than free to contact us."

I found myself nodding alongside the boys. "Yes, we will also be available in the Journalism club room during class intermissions."

"We may not be well acquainted, but we couldn't bear to leave you to your own devices after everything that's going on." Akira voiced with sincerity. He ran delicate pale fingers through his ebony tresses before essentially shoving them in his pant pockets.

"You three are so strange, to think you would all go the way to grab our things and talk some sense into me." She admitted.

"Someone had to do it." Answered Ryuji kicking a pebble with his shoe.

"Still, are you guys going to tell me what you three are planning? You can't take me for a fool Sakamoto-kun…I know you are definitely up to something." She pressed. I pursed my lips and frowned while sparing a look at Ryuji and Akira.

"It's nothing for you to be concerned about." Akira answered flatly. "Our club president is trying to keep it under wraps, but all we can tell you for now is that things will not stay as they are."

"Don't get yourself involved more than ya' already are Takamaki-san. We can figure something out to get justice for all of us. Take care Kay? We have business to attend to—" Ryuji voiced before being cut off.

" _I want in._ " She demanded.

"Takamaki-san, please be reasonable…" I asked unsure of how to both reassure her and dismiss ourselves in the situation. "We have a lot of paperwork due for tomorrow...perhaps you can discuss the idea with Kaede-senpai if you feel entitled to be a part of this."

Ryuji's shot me a look of disapproval, but Akira interjected before he could get a word in. "That would definitely be for the best, perhaps your statement will aid her cause. She's usually in during mornings and lunch." He looked at his phone and gave me a knowing look. "Ryoko-chan, if I do recall we're running a tad late...for _Dinner_."

We need to head to the palace as soon as possible then. We were on a crunch time with Akira's curfew.

"I completely forgot Akira-san forgive me." I turned towards Ryuji and motioned my head towards the open road beyond the parking lot. "Ryu, Mom said Akira-kun can come over for Dinner, we can't keep her waiting."

" _Dinner..?_ " He said before his eyes lingered on Morgana's head protruding from Akira's tore. "Oh shit! I nearly forgot…! Right, _D-dinner_."

We bowed abruptly trying to take our leave. "Forgive us Takamaki-san, we must take our leave now. Please remain at Suzui's-side until then."

We didn't await for her response, we couldn't bare to risk our ploy to be discovered. I bid a quiet and apologetic farewell. Akira and I were able to alleviate ourselves of the extra baggage and felt more comfortable taking the returning trip back to school.

The tension was beginning to rise and Takamaki's suspicions only added to our growing list of problems.

"We can't slip up around her, when she sets her mind to it Takamaki-san is capable of getting what she wants." Muttered Ryuji as we ascended the stairs from the underground subway station.

"Lady Takamaki seems like a very strong and capable young woman. It's a shame you aren't charming enough to be a proper gentleman to comfort her." Morgana commented aloud.

" _Zip it_. I already know what to do when women cry cat." Ryuji spat before narrowing his eyes at him. "Wait? Lady Takamaki? Why are you calling her that?"

"I've never laid eyes on a maiden so fair in person. She almost looks European, like a princess of sorts." Morgana hummed airily. He seems to bare some sort of physical infatuation for her.

"You hardly know her Morgana. Yet you act like a lovesick puppy." I commented dryly.

" _Too bad he's a cat then_." Ryuji added bitterly, "Sorry little man, can't do anything with her until you get your human form back. _Otherwise it would be very illegal._ "

This statement seemed to rile the two up and they began to fire petty jabs between one another. Akira had been very patient up to this point and gave me a tired glance.

" _This is getting very old, very fast_." He mumbled before he made a jerking motion to his tote bag. Once again the force pulled Morgana into the confines of his bag and impeded any further rebuttals.

"I can't agree with you more." I said before pausing and jabbing a sharp elbow in Ryuji's gut.

"If you two are going to brawl over a girl then do it in private without further inconveniencing the group." Akira voiced in a scornful tone.

" _It's not like that at all..!"_ Defended Ryuji. Akira raised an eyebrow and stopped leading the group.

" _Oh_? _It's not?"_ Akira responded feigning confusion. "Care to explain why you never kept your eyes off of her during the rally? Or the part where you felt compelled to go with her today?" Akira pressed.

"T-that's different man…I just couldn't leave her like that. _Would you_?" Ryuji challenged. This seemed to make Akira pause. He became pensive and sighed.

"You're right I wouldn't leave someone like that to their own devices. Sure, I'd try my best to make them feel like they aren't alone." Akira gave him a smug smirk that seemed to be an expression he only ever wore in the Meta-Verse. " _Still_ , you went the extra mile to comfort her. That's definitely not something a random _schoolmate_ does. Perhaps your History with Takamaki-san makes you nostalgic..? _Or is it something else entirely?_ " Morgana popped his head from the small opening of the bag and clawed Akira's neck. His claws weren't out fully and he hardly grazed him.

"Morgana. Behave. I can always switch with Akira here and shove you into my bag. It would an _uncomfortable_ and tight fit. Mine's not roomy like his bag."

Morgana gasped before laughing nervously. " _S-sorry_."

Ryuji rolled his eyes and flipped out his phone. We gathered a bit closer together and let him activate the strange and mysterious Meta-verse app.

"Please select your destination." Voiced the android monotonous program. Calling her Anti-Siri seemed more accurate.

" _Pervert Castle_."

" _Now in route to...Pervert Castle_."

The wave of vertigo was far less potent as it had been the first time around. The ripples were less prominent in the alleyway we were standing in. If I had to guess the distortion was minuscule in comparison to the school grounds.

My vision was engulfed in a sea of azure and felt the air lighten around me. My fatigues were as form fitting as they had even been and felt as natural as a layer of skin.

"We're tight in time. Grab your gear and let's head inside." Ryuji stated before opening his gym bag and undid the zipper to reveal the brand new contents in the bag.

— _That is, brand new to us at the time._

Akira grabbed an airsoft rifle and raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we should alternate weapons in case one of us gets unarmed."

"You want to try the riffle this time around?" I asked feeling a smile tug at my lips. I did take his advice at face value and grabbed a pistol. My gloved fingers brushed against the black matte finish, the knicks and scratches seem to give it a romantic and rustic feel to it.— _It was obviously used and shopworn, but it would serve us well_.

"My aim is subpar at best," Admitted Akira while he cleared his throat. " _You know what they say, practice makes perfect._ "

"You can all alternate between each other every time we take a break at a safe room. I do have to admit that the practice will do you wonders. It would certainly guarantee you all some battle experience." Morgana voiced while admiring his new iron cast slingshot. "I will bow out of your little trades since I'm quite the marksmen with this slingshot of mine."

"Fine by me, I'm not normally a fan of the oozie, but I'll give it a try." Remarked Ryuji as he began to load the mock firearm.

I adjusted the black nylon harness around my shoulder and began to dig through the bag until I heard a sharp and feminine gasp pierce the air. My senses became hyper aware. There—no more than ten feet away stood a familiar pale horror-stricken blonde. She shook like a leaf and froze in her spot as if she had seen a ghost.

"W-who the hell are you people…?"

 _Oh...Shit._


	14. Chapter 14: Hell Hath' No Fury

**Chapter 14: Hell Hath' No Fury**

 **Diary Entry: 04/15**

* * *

 **A/N** **: Please don't kill me, I haven't updated in more than two weeks and my updates have been lacking. I know, but real life problems seem to impede my work. I'll never publicly admit that though.**

 **I'm surprised I passed the 100 follower mark already! I'm really happy to see I'm doing something—** _ **if anything**_ **—right!**

 **I will be doing some alterations to a few chapters as looking back I actually improved my writing in the recent chapters. One of the more obvious chapters I'm changing is good Ol' Chapter Four.**

 **A question for you all, would you rather I make long chapters with a two week waiting period of 6k-10k words each or Two updates a week with chapters with 4,000-5,000 words each?**

 **P.S I'm not very good at writing medieval speech or phrases—so please bear with me I'm trying my best here.**

 _ **Lol**_ **.**

 _ **Fun Fact: A majority of my writing is done in my iPhone on GoogleDOCS. It can be frustrating at times, but my ancient laptop comes in handy when I'm home and decide to use it.**_

 _ **If you are all wondering as to why Ryoko refers to Ann by her last name, it's solely based on the idea that she is still very wary of her. She poses a threat in her eyes and wants to maintain her distance. I will also tone down a lot of Morgana's "white knight" behavior. I found it to be a major hindrance to the team's productivity. Just saiyan. Get it? Saiyan—because Saiyin is a the name of—**_

 _ **Skips Scene**_

* * *

I froze, feeling completely aghast as as I stared back at a pale blonde before me. Yes, the young and horror-stricken European looking blonde was none other than Ann Takamaki. The latter stood with a slack-jawed expression, no doubt she was feeling the same level of panic we were all experiencing that very moment.

Just how were we supposed to explain ourselves? Do we knock her out and call it a day?—I mean look at us! We were armed to the teeth and dressed in phantom thief fatigues of all things. To a third party we would look menacing and threatening as we seemingly loomed over the exotic high school girl.

I'm pretty sure if I had been her I'd be shitting bricks right about now. Morgana grimaced and I fought the urge to hide beneath a rock right then and there.

"It appears she was in close proximity to us at the time of our departure. She must have been pulled by the rift of the Meta-verse application On your phone!" Morgana deducted.

"T-takamaki-chan? " My twin sputtered. "—Da' hell are you doing here?" Ryuji slurred. I could feel his own panic blend with my own anxiety. Our heightened sense of awareness seemed to amplify my own emotions along his. Ryuji's own thoughts were practically garbled and my mind went shameful blank.

"How in the hell— _Wait_... _that voice…It can't be...Sakamoto-kun?_ " Takamaki jumped from her spot and eyed us all with a wide and bewildered expression plastered on her face.

"Relax. It's only us..." Akira voiced taking off my mask. We all followed suit aside from Morgana. The masked feline was odd regardless if he took off his mask, so it would have been pointless for him to follow along.

"Why are you here..? I thought we made it clear you were supposed to stay put. Why aren't you by Suzui-san'a side right now..?" I asked feeling a tad of frustration lingering in my voice. I had sincerely believed we had satisfied her demand to some extent earlier, but it appears as if our ploy did very little to quell her burning vindictive fury.

 _She had to have known we weren't being completely honest from the start._

"Don't take me for an idiot. When I said I wanted _'in'_ I wasn't referring to case your club president was conducting against Kamoshida. I don't want justice, _I want vengeance_.." Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed into a taut line. "I knew you three were up to something the moment he came into this school." She said jabbing a finger in Akira's direction. " I tried to find you in the club room. But you pulled a disappearing act on me! I-I saw you go all go inside and guess what? _No one was there._ "

Silence followed. We couldn't even find the resolve to deny or verbally admit it, but it was all the same to her. She knew she had us and a felt like an idiot for not being more careful around the people that attend the school.

If Takamaki was this sharp, imagine what a real brainiac would be capable of. Anyone else would have blackmailed us.

I mentally berated myself and vaguely remembered that the doors in the building don't have locks. She could have easily waltzed in after we came back from the Meta-verse. Anyone could have walked in and it would have fucked us over a thousand-fold.

I stammered and tried to dodge her question."C-calm down Takamaki-chan. You shouldn't be here, you have to leave. _Now_."

"I'm not leaving until you three explain yourselves." She eyes us all and let her mouth gape. She must have noticed the questionable firearms in our possession. "A-are those guns..?"

I kept my arms out in a gesture that was akin to finding a cougar prowling in the wild. It was a move one might make to ease the wrath of a cornered creature. "Please keep quiet, they're just replicas I swear. _They aren't real!"_

"What kind of sick game are you guys playing at? Do you plan on scaring Kamoshida—What the... _What is that..?_ " She said before finally catching a glimpse at the looming castle gates before us. My first instinct was to subdue her and drag her back to the real world, but I had no experience under my belt to actually execute it. I could get used to mortally wounding shadows, bit to incapacitate a high school girl?

' _I can't pull it off either…! What in the everloving fuck do we do about her?'_ Ryuji slurred internally.

"Please Lady Takamaki, this can be quite frightening I know, but please calm yourself—" Takamaki cut Morgana off and let out a piercing screech making him cringe and cover his sensitive ears.

"A-ah! Is that some kind of monster?" Takamaki said before gripping tightly to her school tote.

"A monster?" Hurt clearly lacing Morgana's voice. "No, Lady—"

"How does it know my surname and why are you addressing me as _lady_?" Takamaki said readying her school bag as a makeshift weapon.

I gave a quick look around and prayed the shadows weren't patrolling close enough to hear our little conversation.

 _If one could even call it that._

"We can't explain now, it will have to be left for another time, but for now... _you need to leave._ " I reasoned as I tried to take a step towards her.

This seemed to upset her and she lashed out in protest. " _No way_. How in the seven hells am I supposed to believe you now? Why on earth are you all dressed like you're ready for a bank heist and why does our school looks like freaking castle?"

"Like our leader said, our lips are sealed princess. Back to reality you go." Ryuji answered flatly.

"Agreed. We can't have her around like this, she's going to draw attention to us." Akira remarked.

The situation was very delicate and we were unsure of what to do next. Takamaki's outburst stopped and her knees gave out from underneath her. " _I don't feel so—_ "

I had wormed the closest and steadied her to keep herself from the hard concrete floor.

"Hey! Takamaki-san..? Are you alright?" I voiced aloud in a panic. I smacked her cheek repeatedly to get her to come to her sense. The force I used was akin to waking a small child up from their stupor. She was pale and trembling in my arms, it wasn't a bad of a meltdown as Akira had the other day, but it was still a frightening display to see.

"Her psyche could be posing a problem," Morgana inquired in a hushed tone. "I have heard of a Princess Ann in the palace. If Kamoshida's desire for her is potent enough, she will succumb to the palace's cognition much faster than either of you."

"What do you mean? Don't you just feel groggy and terribly fatigued?" Ryuji asked.

"Not if you're having an episode," Morgana paused before elaborating. "The strength of your mind and will helps prolong the effects. If your Psyche is weak, you will certainly become another puppet for the palace. Especially since she is an object of desire to _Lord Kamoshida_."

"So in short, the effects will hit her with a greater force than it had been with us. That means she's not even remotely safe here." Akira murmured.

The thought alone was troubling to say the least. I hadn't known the young blonde enough to care much for her on a personal level, but she and I my former self held some lost history with one another. She seemed like a nice girl, albeit stubborn and temperamental—but if she had the heart to do anything for Shiho even if it killed her.

"This could pose a problem if the palace senses her. I have no doubt in my mind she would become some sort of manic depraved masochist." Voiced Morgana, his ears began to twitch and angled his head upwards sniffing the air. "The castle is stirring, but I don't believe it's senses her presence yet. Or at least it's not aware of her identity. Had you used her full name to address her it would have spelled trouble."

" _Joker_ , we need to walk her back. Her knees are far too weak at the moment—she'll need support." I murmured.

' _She's technically dead weight—well, in a sense that she doesn't have the strength to support herself.' I voiced inwardly._

' _Can you really blame her? Anyways, I'll take care of it.' Responded Ryuji._

"There's a bench by the front of the school, I can take her there, but I'll need help." Ryuji voiced aloud. Not that she's that heavy, i just don't want to get carried away and snap my knee."

"Wow, I'm surprised you aren't being reckless." I blurted. My attempt to lighten the atmosphere was in vain and instead

"Since when have I ever—"

"I'll go with you." Akira removed the rifle harness from his shoulder and bagged it discreetly into Ryuji's gym bag. Ryuji followed soon after and they both loomed over us trying to pick Takamaki as gently as possible.

"Hey—Sakamoto-kun! You'd better explain yourself this instant! Answer me!" Takamaki hissed, the frustration in her voice made me flinch a bit. I felt a twinge of guilt settle into my stomach and found myself frowning as they lifted her and proceeded to head into the alleyway.

"Great," I voiced sardonically. "...Pray tell, Morgana. How on earth do we explain this mess? I asked while peering accusingly at the structure behind Morgana and I.

As if things weren't complicated enough, now we had a witness. Granted it would be difficult to provide the proof in the real world, but this could definitely pose a major issue in terms of keeping discretion. I mean—Kaede's hawk eyes were bad enough, I couldn't imagine also having Takamaki-san breathing down our necks over this.

Even if she did want to join our group, she had no idea what she would be getting herself into. Say, we decided to humor her and have her play support like we had with Akira, there was no telling how long it would take for the effects of Kamoshida's palace to take hold of her.

Morgana hummed pensively. " _We could buy her silence._ Perhaps give her something that wins her favor to keep her from spilling the beans."

" _Some phantom thieves we are_. Not even a week and we managed to give ourselves away." I muttered.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You all need to master the finesse and guarded nature of a true phantom thief. We can all figure it out together and learn from our mistakes here." He cleared his throat before adding in dreamy tone. " _Still_ , wouldn't it be nice to have her around to provide support on the sidelines if she wants to help. She seems passionate and fierce."

Morgana and I waited patiently for the boys to make their way back to us. It didn't take too long before we managed to regroup the whole team together. With Takamaki gone we began to discuss our options.

Akira let out a gruff sigh and ran his scarlet gloves over his luscious ebony curls. "This isn't exactly ideal, but I suppose we will have to make do with our current predicament." His eyes traveled towards the castle ahead and continued. "We can teleport to the safe-room on the first level of the palace—the one closest to the artillery room. Let's see how far we can manage within the next half hour." He directed his gaze to Morgana. "Mona, what's the status of the security level within the palace?"

"There is definitely a spike in the number of entities roaming about in the castle. I can't give you a solid number, so I'll estimate the percentage amount I'm capable of sensing. _Give me a second_..." Morgana sniffed the air and closed his eyes briefly, once his ears began to twitch he opened his eyes and examined the castle from afar. "I'd say, there is a thirty-five percent increase of shadows on patrol as of now."

"Well, it's a good thing I have a shit ton of pent up frustration right about now." Ryuji muttered bitterly under his breath. Without a second thought we made haste towards the castle moat. I noticed that Ryuji was unintentionally taking the lead and decided to nip his reckless behavior in the bud. I quickly shot and hand on his shoulder and shouted inwardly to chastise him. He stopped in his tracks and gave an odd look.

"Slow down there, hotshot." I chided. ' _I could have sworn Joker was the leader of the team, not you big brother.'_

"Oh. R-right." He paused and slowly drew his attention to our curly haired leader. He gave Akira a sheepish grin. " _Sorry, man._ "

Akira waved him off and shook his head in response. "Don't worry about it." He began to scroll through the history feed on the Meta-Nav and began to select the proper destination.

Swing the area around us distort was still mind boggling. It shifted into ripples and began to waver between two completely different areas. The waves eventually settled and the environment revealed a small room surrounded by rich velvet decor and lavish scarlet drapes.

The tables bore gold embellishments and a few unused chalices were strewn in the middle. This room was miles better than the safe room down in the dungeon corridors. I silently wondered if my enhanced senses would make the area feel far more uncomfortable than the last time I had been there.

I supposed it wasn't that bad since Akira was able to plow through the shadows at the time.

"We can think about our little dilemma after we finish exploring. _Any objections…_?" Akira voiced while keeping a steady and resolute tone. The vibrato in his voice sent a silent wave of shivers down my spine. They weren't unpleasant in the least, but I managed to keep my cool and kept my thoughts elsewhere before Ryuji took note of my odd behavior.

"Do you think we should split into teams of two? With one of the twins on each team, their telepathic communication could be useful to relay information to the other group whilst we cover more ground." Advised Morgana.

Akira looked thoughtful before he turned his attention towards Ryuji and I. "If either team runs into any trouble, we will regroup immediately. Be mindful of your partner's well-being and keep in touch as much as possible."

"We need healers in each team. We got to see a bit of Pixie's capabilities last time. Did Morgana teach you the basics of the healing technique?" I asked. After he had obtained Pixie's help, we were pleasantly surprised to hear that she could learn healing capabilities.

"I understand the gist of it, but I'm afraid I have yet to actually cast the spell." Akira answered honestly.

I shifted my gaze to Morgana and raised an eyebrow. Suddenly the idea of splitting up wasn't sounding very full-proof. It was risky to let Akira run around the castle teaming with shadows with his level of inexperience. Still, if Morgana is a know-it-all I figure he would give Akira the proper guidance and knowledge on what to expect when he would cast a healing spell.

"We can practice right here in the safe room. Akira has a unique learning curve. He should be able to grasp the technique well enough to use it this time around." Morgana voiced, he sounded very confident in Akira prowess.

"Then we need an injured teammate to heal. Will distance affect his concentration?" Asked Ryuji.

"He's still a novice, so of course it would take some field experience to heal allies from a large distance." Morgana informed before pulling his cutlass from his sheath and motioning me towards him. "Come here Raven. We can start by healing flesh wounds. Once masters this principle, he should be able to handle the rest from there."

Normally I'd hesitate to such a request, but Akira was learning something that could potentially save our lives. Surely he wouldn't take too long to patch me right up, _I mean, this was Akira we're talking about._

Ryuji must have heard and felt my own thoughts then, but still interjected. "I get that, but are you really agreeing to this? Why doesn't the cat slit his own body? Why does it have to be you?" Ryuji asked as hysteria bubbled between us.

"You already know how important it is for Akira to learn this technique. Besides, I'm not going to die over a silly flesh wound. Remember how this world works. _So long as we hold faith in those we trust, things should always work out._ "

' _We have to believe in Akira for it to work. Cognition is power."_

He huffed and pursed his lips in a firm line before glancing at me and back at Morgana. "Alright. Go ahead."

' _Don't come crying to me when you start to see your blood spurting everywhere.'_

Morgana leaped gracefully on the table and I took off my right leather glove before rolling back the sleeve of my jacket.

" _Pixie_ , lend me your strength." Akira voiced softly. His mask erupted into a mass of azure flames until it formed a small mass and revealed a small forest sprite wearing a blue leotard.

"Reporting for duty!" She chimed in exuberantly. Morgana put a soft paw against my open fingers in an attempt to keep them still before he proceeded.

"Remember Joker, imagine your mending the smaller blood vessels and muscle tissue. Increase the body's natural healing process and concoct your own antibacterial adhesive while you're at it. I don't expect you to master the last part yet, but repair the most immediate damage as quickly as possible."

Akira looked determined and I placed a dish on the table to keep my blood from billing all over the place. I gave the curly haired boy an encouraging smile and nodded.

"Ready?" Asked Morgana. We both nodded and in a almost instantaneously my hand felt terribly itchy and hot. I let out a small audible gasp and tutted in a flustered manner.

"Holy shit. _That's a lot of blood._ " Ryuji mouthed blatantly.

Akira and pixie looked over me and I felt his gloved palm grasp gently at my wrist. He examined the wound for a brief second before he voiced in a direct tone the command he wanted her to follow. "Pixie. _Heal_." The scent of running alcohol rose up from the green aura that his Persona emanated.

They both held mirrored expressions and I shivered slightly at how serious they were taking their training.

 _Or should I say, his training—since she was now his Persona._

I fought the urge to close my palm as my blood had pooled from my palm, in a means to sooth the itching discomfort. The frothy consistency of the liquid was comparable car grease, but was still only enough as thin as water. It didn't feel warm as I thought it would be, and it felt more discomforting than it actually hurt.

However, as soon as Pixie's white magic began to coax its way into my system, the discomfort began to lull and the itch began to fade away. My hand was still trailing with blood I didn't feel the streams pour freely. Akira pulled the handkerchief that adorned his breast picked and flapped it out to clean my wound.

My palm was stained red and a few dried specs of blood smeared the top layer of my skin. He wiped away gingerly and inspected the raw and healing tissue that now blemished my palm. I blinked and and moved my closer to examine it as well. I flexed my palms a bit. It did have a bit of strain, but it was very close to Morgana's own healing expertise.

"I thought Mona said he couldn't block out the pain. Joker was able to do it when he was healing her. _What gives_?" Ryuji asked before Morgana'a eyes widened.

" _Wait—_ what do you mean by blocking out the pain?" The feline asked looking at my palm as Akira attempted in vain to remove the blood stains that riddled my skin. He paused and sheepishly looked between Morgana and I.

"The wound was numbing. It almost felt like he was attempting to anesthetize the pain." I clarified.

"It not like, we enjoyed seeing you in pain Mistress! _We like, thought we could tot's sooth your pain you know."_ The pixie answered looking flustered. Akira immediately let go of my palm and cleared his throat.

" _Mistress..?_ " Alight, I thought. It was possible she thought very highly of us all. I suppose we were oddly close even after knowing each other for such a short period of time.

"Is it odd that I don't want my _friends_ to be hurting after I heal them?" Akira voiced in a firm tone. The pixie nodded before turning to him.

" _Nice recovery—_ " She squacked as he shot a hand over her mouth and dismissed her for now.

" _Thank you Pixie._ You're presence is no longer needed _for now_."

Ryuji gave him a question in look, but shrugged it off immediately in a means to remain ignorant.

Of what? I'm not sure, he began to tune his thoughts and began to recite the latest basketball leaderboards in his head as a means to block me out.

"Anyways, let's head out. Mona and Raven can survey furthest of the west wing and Skull and I will backtrack and clear the floor." Akira kept the counseling session dry and to the point. We all took on our objectives and made our way towards the door.

"Team Alpha wIll be lead by Joker, whilst team Omega while be directed by yours truly." Morgana voiced with a dark thrill lacing his voice. Jitters rolled down my spine in waves and our team sauntered after the boys headed out of the room.

The amount of Shadows had definitely increased. The artillery room we conquered last time now had at least six shadows patrolling in its small area.

"I can remove the masks if you can provide a distraction. After that, go crazy and screwer every single shadow in the room when I give you the go ahead. _Got it?_ "

"I think I have a decent distraction." I removed my hoodie and removed the mask that obscured my face. "Tell me Morgana, do you know if the princesses speak in medieval fashion?"

"I certainly believe they do _Lady Ryoko._ " Morgana answered with a smug expression that was similar to my own at the moment.

"Good, come with me. You're my escort _Sir Kamoshida_."

'Am I really hearing this right? _Sir Kamoshida?_ ' Ryuji voiced inwardly. I ignored his internal banter and did keep a mental note of their status. Ryuji was in mid-battle as Akira had dropped gracefully beside him, a pile of masks were strewn throughout the room they were in.

I tutted at Ryuji's words and mentally shot back at him. " _Morgana doesn't have a last name. It needs to sound powerful and anyone related to the royal family is well—royalty of course.'_

I only hoped this would work and Kamoshida had at least some basic knowledge of the era other than pillaging, riches and slavery of any kind.

I took a deep breath and I dropped my cape and fixed it in a means to hide all trace of weaponry I carried, With my back straightened I figured Kamoshida may have a twisted cognitive idea of a princess so I had to up the ante on my own charm.

Not only was I severely lacking in that category, but my acting was no better.

 _Still, it couldn't hurt to try now could it?_

"Milord's! ~" I squealed and immediately felt myself shrink as the group of armored shadows met my gaze and stopped in their tracts. My mind was sent into a frenzy and I had worried I would get called out on my shit acting right of the back.

I would have been lying if I'd say I didn't cringe thinking about this right now.

"Milady Ryoko!" In an instant the all scrambled to kneel in what they believed was the presence of their princess. Well, one the many possibly masochist cognitive dolls.

"Good evening Milords," My my mind blanked out for a second until I came up with a half-assed attempt to come up with a believable story.''Tis an intruder in thy quarters! Sir Kamoshida"s...bloody of thine blood hath guided...uh..thee to thine capable squires!"

"Milady Ryoko beseeches thee! Bend thy knee in thine glory and reclaim thine quarters and chain thine heathen! He who claims dideth' be usurper will be willed thy grace's kindness and love in thine hall of love!"

"Yes Milady—" With style and speed Morgana used both his tail and cutlasses to un mask the shadow from the back. I scurried and pulled of the masks off of the two esquire's kneeling in front of me and and waited for Morgana's cue. I had since released Bonny, her azure flames were magnificent and it thrilled me to finally tear these things apart.

"Hit it Raven!"

" _Bonny, end them._ Earthshaker!" I could feel my stamina getting sapped away in a more potent dose as I aimed for every single shadow in the room. When Bonny gel satisfied she slammed her hand into the ground. Her bunny ears flopped madly from the force and from the earth the crystal minerals shot out from the ground like tendrils and impaled through the shadows with fatality.

We continued with the same routine until we reached what looked like a pantry of sorts. There was good being prepared, a pig that had been straight out of the rotisserie was laid out on a cutting board. The chef looked like one off the cafeteria women from our school. She was old, but ironically wore something appropriate for the job she was doing.

There were two shadows patrolling at the end of the opposite door of the pantry. The cognitive doll looked too focused.

"She may seem like a threat, but she won't pay any mind to us. Like a ghost she's destined to only do one action. We can fight near her and she'll still act as if we aren't there." Morgana whispered.

With that in mind Morgana and I walked past her and I ignored the delicious scent of roasted pork before stringing to remove the soldiers masks.

When they revealed themselves as bedside demons. I wiped out the pistol far faster than I ever had done so since my time here. It relied on a more natural sense of aim and a shorter time frame than the sniper, but it was nothing a little practice could take care of. Morgana also railed his weapon of choice and we kept at it until they faded into nothing.

"Beautifully done Raven. Your stamina is improving, I'm impressed."

"It still wears me out, but not so much like the first time around—" I stopped in mid sentence and listened at the situation Ryuji was in. I could hear the shadows talking and Kamoshida's voice rang clear in my head.

" _We can use the nearest playroom here including the first floor. Milord's escort the material world wench and prepare her for a sleepless night. I will arrive shortly." Kamoshida rubbed his cheek and a more flirtatious Takamaki kissed his cheek were a red hand mark lay evident on his face._

" _Your Grace!_ "

" _Don't touch me you son of bitch. It's your fault Shiho jumped. You sick bastard! I'll fucking end you!"_

 _Akira and Ryuji were already back near the entrance hallway that led into the corridors that had served us as an infiltration point. Akira's voice rang clear as he addressed me._

" _It's time we regroup, We can tail them and find out exactly where they're taking her. Remain on standby near the safe room."_

"Affirmative." I voiced inwardly.

Not soon after, we made our way back towards the safe room. We closed the door and managed to catch our breath for a bit as we waited for the boys to arrive. I pulled out a chair and Morgana sat idly on top of the table with legs dangling freely from the edge.

Akira and Ryuji didn't take too long and soon came back to us in silence. It was a dreadful silence as they held grim expressions on their faces. I found myself frowning and folded my arms over my best.

"The was a room that had been closed off on our way here. The pathway is open, but there are a few guards stationed at the door." Akira inquired.

"We should use what we can to replenish our stamina. If Kamoshida is in there now, the mpay likely has the crowns guard with him." Morgana suggested—by the sound of things, they were about to get dicey.

"It's not like we gott'a choice." Ryuji slurred. "Our classmate managed to make her way back to the Meta-verse."

If I found out she made it back under her own accord I was going to give that girl an earful, she would disobeyed our word and for whatever reason she thought she could handle this without help.

Akira brought out his own thermos. It was a metallic gray color and had a small black cat logo. We took everything we had in order to prepare ourselves for the onslaught coming our way. After we finished on recuperating our strength we left the safe room and followed Akira and Ryuji into the corridor where they held Takamaki.

The area in which she was being held had once been gated and closed off. There were full armor pieces that lined each the walls as if they were standing in attention. I could hear the muffled cries of our classmate and she screamed in protest.

My blood boiled and a mixture of Ryuji's own anger meshed with my own. Akira stationed himself behind me and Morgana and my brother were leaning against the opposing wall ready to strike.

I could practically feel Akira's warmth from my back and fought the urge to shiver. My accursed hormones were beginning to cloud my thought and I quickly reminded myself of the task at hand.

With practiced ease, Morgana and I propelled ourselves forward and took initiative to remove the masks to allow the boys to attack. "Joker, Skull! Let loose and blow them away!" Announced Morgana as we jumped away to give them room. The wind billowing against my face was enough to send my adrenaline into overdrive.

My heels clacked as I landed beside behind the boys manning the frontline. Captain Kidd cackled and sent a bolt of lightning at green horned steer. Under his power the large creature was turned nothing more into ash.

"Arsene! Impale them and send them into a permanent stupor! _Dream Needle_." I could hear the gentle-crow's sardonic laugh vibrate through the walls. Wings as dark as sin as his Patron's hair opened its hellish wingspan and send tendrils of shadow to pierce its enemies. It was similar to Bonny's execution move, but it was far less aggressive and more controlled.

When we cleared the entrance to the room we plowed through the door and had Arsene cleave it open. Seeing the dust clear allowed us to catch the King red-handed. To this day, I have yet to forgive the man's depravity.

No form of mental preparation would be enough for me to comprehend the scene before me.

I had never felt so livid.

Takamaki was in tears as she was constrained by what I would later find out was a Saint Andrew's cross. She was sniveling and her clothes had been cut open as if they had tried to undress her.

We had been standing in between groups of our other classmates. They all bore expressions that were of a sexual nature and began to straddle each other suggestively while coaxing Takamaki to join.

" _This is all sorts of fucked up…_ " Ryuji voiced feeling the air constrict from him lungs. "Is this what he thinks of the girls volleyball ball team.

"I'm not here…" I voiced quietly in a silent relief. Honestly seeing my carbon copy act in such a manner would have been enough to tear the place down.

"He spoke of a dragon that tends to snatch Princess Ryoko away. He must see you as an object that is unattainable at the moment with Ryuji around you." Morgana murmured while keeping his eyes trained on the sadistic man before us.

Ryuji gasped and called out to the blonde in exasperation. " _Takamaki!_ "

Kamoshida's shadow growled under his breath as he saw us approaching. "How many times must you fools get in my way? This is what she deserves for denying herself to me. She couldn't provide her body so I took the next best thing. Her perky tited friend."

"You lecherous piece of shit!" She spat venomously. We all tensed as one of the crowns guard pressed a steel sword against her throat.

"Not so fast knaves. One false move and I'll have them slit her trachea open and make a bloody fountain out of her."

Her cognitive clone drew out her words as if she were ditsy and ( _for a lack of a better word_ ) dumb as a doornail. "Speaking back to your king, is like, totally unforgivable." Her outfit was everything but the word modest and it was the exact same doll that Ryuji had seen when we first left the palace. Her tiara was adorned with cat ears with cheetah print embellishments on the fabric that formed the flesh of the ears. Her lingerie was of the same material and had studded diamonds on the fabric to give off a lavish look. "Mylord I want to hear her scream and feel _loved_."

"You would like that wouldn't you—you little slut." Kamoshida turned to Takamaki and gave her a shot-eating grin. "Ah, see that look? That's the one you should have been wearing from the get go."

"I..if I had just gone with him that day...Shiho wouldn't have been left alone that day. I failed her." Her cognitive clone grabbed a whip that was hanging on a wall of sado-erotic trinkets of all kinds. The sound of it thundered in the room as she struck out Boone classmate across her face. It left an angry red mark and Takamaki let out a guttural scream.

We flinched the knights began to cackle at our tensed figures. We were in the palm of their hands and they knew it too. Kamoshida waved his finger at us and guffawed madly. "Bring me the girl and execute the rest."

The boys including Morgana positioned themselves in front of me and I steeled my eyes on the sadistic king. "Think again Kamoshithead. We aren't going down without a fight."

"Takamaki, keep your head held high." I voiced firmly. "Giving yourself away like that wouldn't have changed anything. If anything I think Shiho would be the one to come all this way and do the exact same thing you're doing now."

"You're a force to be reckon with. Are you really going to let this weasel have his way with you or are you going to bend the knee and be a victim all your life?" Challenged Akira.

Takamaki stayed quiet and began to struggle underneath the shackles of the cross. Kamoshida made a head gesture towards us and huffed indignantly. "Your words are cliche and overused. As if I'd let her garner another one of those shadowhunters you call a Persona—" A whip cracked in the air and we eyed our blonde classmate in disbelief as she held onto the tip on the whip with her bare hands. The clasp of the shackles were broken in pieces as she pulled her cognitive clone into the bare blade of the knight before she disintegrated into nothingness. The other soldier standing at attention beside Kamoshida started to charge their way towards us.

"Holy shit are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?" Sputtered Ryuji.

' _If by seeing you mean watch as Takamaki kicks some shadow ass? Then yes. We are seeing it.'_ I replied internally.

"Shut up and attack, now is our chance!" Morgana replied in with urgency. We nodded and I felt my mask dissolve into burning azure embers and the deckhand hare Bonny erupted from the flames.

" _I suggest a new form of punishment for them. What would you like to see Míja?_ "

In my mind's eye I was not seeking an attack to destroy my enemies, rather I was focusing on protecting a friend from otherwise facing death. Hearing my thoughts this seemed to allow her to understand and it almost sounded as if she spoke through a smile.

" _Protect your friend I shall._ "

"Bonnie, protect those who view the palace ruler as an enemy; _my comrades from bodily harm._ Let the strength of my will be a temple in which to shield them. _Celestite Barrier!_ "

"As you wish Míja." Bonnie sapped away at the stamina I had and it didn't feel as costly as Earthshaker had been. A wall of celestite minerals encased a wall around Takamaki and she stopped a greatsword from cutting down on her as she began to hobble around in agony. She screamed and I thanked the heavens she hadn't been harmed. Her screams alone were haunting and I realized it had been the first time I had seen someone else attain the pain of forming a contract with a Persona.

"Jack O' Lantern, turn my enemies into cinder! _Pyro Sphere_!" Akira commanded as a fireball struck at a impish blue sprite inside a floating bronze cauldron. It sent a lightning bolt my way and I failed to react on time as the electrifying force knocked me of my feet and onto the red carpet. The cognitive dolls had since scurried from the room and left us with an open room. My body felt awful and the pain was comparable to having exposed cable wires touch my bare belly.

It was unnatural and if it had struck any higher, it would have sent a surge of electricity into my diaphragm. Morgana sent a torrent of winds past me to a different type of steer that was attempting to trample me with it's front hooves. It was green and half of it's body had a ghostly tail. Ryuji urged me to stand and I took his hand in gratitude.

Without being able to remove the shadow masks they kept multiplying and started to overwhelm us as their numbers increased.

"You think you olot can defeat me? I rule this kingdom with an iron fist and I will keep doing as I please for many years to come. Your school will turn their backs on you and I will make sure you've all learned your lesson by then. Starting with you." Lord Kamoshida admonished while pointing directly at our curly haired leader.

"Kamoshida!" screeched a feminine voice from the celestite walls. The volume and intensity in her vice was akin to a warcry and the celestite began to glow a familiar eerie blue. The barrier began to disappear.

" _She no longer needs your protection, the earth shielding her senses her resolve. She is ready._ " Bonny explained. The room shook and with the barrier fading, the flames burst in a magnificent inferno. Her screams were enough to send chills up my spine and I knew she was sealing the contract.

She was experiencing the pain that was the cost of such power. I could almost feel the agony all over again as she let out final shriek. Chains billowed and rose in the air as and warped into a large feminine figure. A woman that could have been over five meters tall took center stage, she wore a massive ballroom gown that exposed her cleavage. In a sadistic twist she stepped on a masochistic shadow and held another one by the throat with her rose whip. The scent of dry tobacco lingered in the air as she smoked a fat cigar on her licious red lips. She smiled, flashing her feline canines in the process. Her voice was deep and soothing. " _My mistress and I shall show no mercy_."

"Your days of treating girls like pieces meat are numbered." Takamaki spoke with conviction and emerged in front of her Persona wearing a fuschia colored latex suit. It was form fitting and she looked similar to a dominatrix. "You took everything from Shiho... _Now it's my turn_. For every scream she made I will make you pay a thousand fold. Kamoshida... _I will rob you of everything!"_

Kamoshida used and practically spit between his words. "You filthy little slut! I will have you one way or another. Guards seize them now!"

" _Thou hath' dareth' sully thyne name of his royal majesty thy King. Thine shalt be'eth hangeth' for doth' insolence knaves!_ " A kings guard member dressed in gold plated armor began to dissolve into a pool of darkness and began to absorb the lesser ranked guardsmen around it.

We regrouped around Takamaki and prepared our Persona in the process. The room rippled as the distortion intensified within the abysmal pool.

"Takamaki-chan, imagine what type of attack your enemies will suffer by your hand. Find the right imagery and let your Persona do the rest. We'lol back ya' up when you need it." Voices Ryuji as we watched the shadow fone into a much larger creature.

"Right." She voiced in a collective tone.

"Raven, focus on defense. We need the group to stay in tact. Mona can provide healing and I need Ryuji to provide support."

' _Support?_ ' I questioned inwardly.

"I can lend someone bits of my strength. Akira needed more juice in his attacks and Cap'n let me cover that for him."

I nodded and the creature finally formed. It was absolutely atrocious. The creature looked demonic in physicality and it was sitting in a dirty decrepit porcelain toilet. The scent that wafted in the air was unpleasant to say the least and I knew this would provide a load of problems.

It sent a torrent of winds in our direction and I immediately drew in a barrier. " _Behind me!_ Bonny Now!"

The barrier was small and no more than three feet tall but it was enough to lessen the impact. Unfortunately it was the moray I could muster on such short notice. Ryuji and Morgana had been cut by the debris that were caught by the whirlwind and hissed in agony.

"Zorro! _H-heal._ " Morgana commanded. With a wave of his rapier her sent a healing aura on Ryuji and then on himself. Meanwhile, the rest of us rolled out from the small crystal wall and began to toss around heavy hitters after the other. We let Takamaki go last as she was still figuring out the mechanics behind forming a spell.

"Bonny, _Earthshaker!"_

The demonic giant sneered and levitated his toilet bowl higher and began to maneuver himself from my attacks. I mentally cursed myself and realized that staying on the defensive would definitely pose a better tactic than none.

"At least we know ground attacks won't work. It save me from relying too much on Arsene." Murmured Akira. Morgana leaped into the battlefield a bit behind us all to watch for any injured comrades. It didn't take long before Ryuji came barreling in and sent a bolt of lightning at the shadow. The room flashed a brilliant white as it made contact and Takamaki followed in his example and landed a barrage of fireballs herself.

 _Fire, eh? Who would have thought._

The shadow panicked and began to screech as his skin was set aflame. It sounded like a wounded feral animal being torn apart. Perhaps it wasn't very resistant to the power of her flames.

"Methane!" Gasped Morgana. "Methane is a flammable gas!"

This seemed to spark something in Akira's marvelous gunmetal gray eyes and he smirked.

"Takamaki and I will work on igniting this beast. Ryuji, we need you to power us up as much as you can. Mona, as soon as see the shadow retains any burns and welts—hit him the most fiercest winds in your arsenal. Raven, encase him in your crystal barrier and let him burn until nothing is left.

" _Oh, Captain, My Captain.~_ " I purred.

Following Akira's orders Ryuji began to divert his spiritual energy onto Akira and Takamaki. This was easier said than done and it took everything in him to keep track of their movements throughout the field. Morgana and I waited for our cue and when the managed to burn the shadow, Morgana mewed in determination and had Zorro sent a torrent of winds to the unfortunate bastard in our way.

The mass of the shadow was quite large. When I felt the extent of the energy that Bonny required, my knees nearly gave out from underneath me. I began to build sweat in my brow and through my moves weren't as flashy as the rest of the group, it did require a heavy sum of concentration and control. My muscles began to ache as the Celestine mineral walls began to encase him. Whenever I felt he rose up in desperation as the flames kicked his skin I clenched the mineral walls closer. With its violent thrashing it was very close to breaking the barrier I created.

I was lucky however, that the barrier began to conduct heat from the flames, it became far similar to a massive furnace burning it alive. Our combined strength was easily terrifying to anyone who dared cross our path.

After he let out a final scream I allowed myself to let go of the barrier and drop on my knees in exhaustion. The walls began to collapse and left a trail of shimmering dust in its wake.

A distinguishable feeling began to work its way down my hand and I could feel that familiar discomfort taking over. My palm began to itch and I realized that the inside of my leather glove had been damp for a while.

I must have opened up that wound during the battle. I removed the glove and was met by an unsightly trail of blood that had smeared a majority of my right hand. I vaguely wondered whether or not it was possible to die from substantial blood loss in this world.

Would the blood lost here have a major effect in the real world—and so on. But, upon my morbid musings I hadn't realized that Kamoshida had made a very cowardly dash out the door. Ryuji's inner ramblings had filled me in only moments later.

"That fucking bastard got away." Ryuji hissed venomously.

Morgana began to sooth a very lethargic looking Takamaki as she covered herself in shame. Akira tried to in vain calm her down and he seemed gravitate towards me seeing as how at least I wasn't the toe to lash out at him.

Or at least that's what initially thought of anyway.

"You okay?" Akira asked with concern lacing his voice. The deep vibrato was one I had come to find comfort. I gave a gruff sigh and pushed myself off the ground.

"I'm fine. You?" I asked trying to maintain some sort of disinterest. For whatever reason I was very hesitant to display any form of romantic interest. It always sent my brain into a panic and with an emotional idiot like me that was very dangerous.

"Groggy." He replied simply. I found myself smiling at this. It in all honesty it did make a whole lot of sense. The effects of grogginess would be worming its way into all of us and I was not looking forward to it.

" _Lovely_ ," I added. "Might I suggest we pick up Ann and peel out before Kamoshida decided to send a search party after us? I mean...after seeing us fight together I have no doubt in my mind that he might send his strongest guards after us."

"Sounds like trouble." He turned and gave a slight gesture towards our new blond comrade. "Maybe you can get her to listen. I'm afraid I'm not very good at proving comfort in these types of situations."

"You're too hard on yourself. Besides, your not _that bad."_

He rubbed the back of his sheepishly but aimed a smirk at my direction. "...I'll take that as a compliment."

Unfortunately for us, words would not prove enough for the young blonde and we opted to just dragging her out of the war torn room. After pulling off a miracle we were able to make it back to the safe room in one piece.

The palace security began to skyrocket when Morgana inspected the energy wavering from the castle. "We have to leave before the security level reaches over a ninety percent increase. If it reaches that point...the safe rooms will be useless and we might not have access to the teleportation system on your phone." Morgana informed. This was enough to get our gears moving and we quickly maneuvered our way back to the palace entrance and into the real world.

 _Little did we know a war was brewing in the real world. One that would place our group in the middle and jeopardize our lives for good._


	15. Chapter 15: Declaration of War

**Chapter 15**

 **Diary Entry : Declaration of War**

 **Date: 04/16**

* * *

"What the hell is this..?" Ryuji questioned. His brows knit together and eyed the a pink slip resting on the clubs's table. The room was in disarray and a collection of gasps filled the room as papers and prints were strewn about and shredded beyond recognition.

 _Who the hell would even do such a thing…?_

"It's...a citation notice from the school's administration. Kamoshida had requested a hearing for the next board meeting—we're getting shut down." Kaede voiced wryly.

"What?" Ryuji growled. "Why on earth would he do that? Even if you guys tried filing a case against him, what does that have to do with the club?"

Kaede shook her head and spoke in a flat tone. "He plans on making a counter-sue. Saying we are guilty of defamation and he's going as far as framing Mishima-kun for leaking Akira-kun's info. He's two step ahead of us. Coach Kamoshida must have thought of the possibility of mutiny for those working for him."

"He thinks of the students as nothing more than pawns and cannon fodder. Things just keep getting more bleak by the minute." Akira murmured.

"I'm afraid that's not all..." Haru added. "Everyone here is being charged with defamation and slander. Not only does he plan on damaging our student records, but he wants to go further to press for our expulsions and perhaps federal charges."

Haru and Kaede went on to explain that Kamoshida had suspected the odd nature of the Journalism club's newest members. He must have put two and two together and realized we were plotting something behind his back.

Normally Kaede would have had things under wrap about our joining the club, but she suspected whistleblowers were giving him the update.

To the staff members of the school—he was practically an icon and above all else; he was a charming son of a bitch. He knew how to play the students and his fellow staff pretty damn well.

 _He knew how to play the game_ —to coax those in higher standing to get exactly what he wants.

 _He could easily blame Akira for the uprising students were playing a part in._

It riled something within me knowing he'd use our curly haired leader as nothing more than a scapegoat.

I mean— _Technically we were planning a coup, but that wasn't out here in the material world._

"Don't give up on hope just yet. If we could get something more solid, we would be able to turn the tables." Akira replied.

Hearing his voice so firm and sanguine was enough to pull at my heartstrings. I mean, here he was being dragged around by calamity and misfortune and yet he managed to bring us all together to fight back.

 _Akira, you sure are something..._

"We don't intend to, it's a major blow to our case, but Haru-chan and I will keep at it. In the meantime I'll have you four contribute to keep the printing presses running. You can show Ann the ropes and have her work on editing the material." She gave us an intense look and I could feel the gravity of her tone. " Do not instigate against Kamoshida. Chances are he could use that against us and hinder our investigation. Understand?" She voiced curtly. Her eyes darted towards Ryuji and Ann, seeing as how they were the most careless when it came to their emotions. My twin flinched and bobbed his head in defeat.

I also gave Ryuji a knowing look and he let out a gruff sigh. "Yeah, yeah — _whatever you say Prez._ "

Confronting Kamoshida would certainly work against us and we didn't need the whole school board on our backs before the conference took place.

Our school would not hesitate to terminate us from the system, after all, this academy was the pride and joy of Tokyo. It was highly expected of us to be exemplary students.

Everything was working against us.

Getting Kawakami-sensei to sign her club application had been as swift as ours had been. Kaede had that sort of reign against people and in I was far too grateful than I was creeped out.

During lunch we cleared and cleaned the club room and we ran through the basics of the school press. Much to her dismay, there was a lot of proofreading and actual typography that was necessary for all our members to know. Giving Ann a solid alibi would be best.

She was on our side right now and we needed her just as much as she needed us.

Kamoshida was going as far as declaring a counter-sue...it was the modern equivalent of a war. The bubbling anxiety in my belly seemed to fuel my growing pessimism.

What was the palace going to look like now? Would the drama in the material world worm its way into the meta-verse? Would Kamoshida view himself as an unstoppable force and be impossible to defeat?

My brain mulled over the dreary future laid out before me, before a thin manicured nail slowly poked my cheek.

"Hello? Earth to Ryoko-chan 'ya in there?" Ann asked in an unnaturally jolly tone. I said nothing bedite blankly looking at her with a baffled look. "Ryuji is skipping P.E to stock up on supplies for the infiltration today. I know he's trying to take one for the team and all, but doesn't his bad boy faze bug you at all?" Ann asked in a

"I can't really blame him...he doesn't even want to see Kamoshida even in painting. You weren't there, but last time he turned his porcelain bust into nothing more than cinder back in the Meta-verse."

"So you think he'll get back on track once the whole situation is settled?" She asked.

I pursed my lips and twiddled my thumbs before resting my gaze on the tile pattern beneath my shoes. "Ryuji isn't really a delinquent, but everyone doesn't see it that way. In his mind, if the entire school system will always see him as such? Why fight it when he can do what he has to to get by?"

"—But, he's letting everyone else think they're right about him." She retorted.

"...Yeah," I acknowledged with a small bob of my head. "I never said it was the best way to handle it... He's probably just baiting his time to prove them wrong. _Whether it's out of spite or not, I can't say for sure…"_

My words seemed to instill some deep thoughtfulness on her part and nodded quietly and during the day I had a very hard time following along with the lectures. I got called out on it by one of the teachers and experienced a crushing blow to my ego.

I always hated math...and apparently my teachers hated the answer _"I don't know."_

" _Careful Sakamoto-chan, lest you end up like that no-good brother of yours. Now take a seat and pay attention."_

" _Sorry."_ The apology was hardly genuine, but then again — _I hardly cared._

Mishima wasn't even meeting me eye-to-eye anymore and it was very difficult to try to help someone when their situation was as dire as his. He had his faith in us for a brief moment, but that ended terribly for him.

I wished deeply that I couldn't do any more for him.

"You look tired." Akira stated. To confirm his words I simply drew in a deep sigh and grabbed my tote From the hook of my desk.

I didn't even attempt to deny it. I was certainly feeling the pressure eat away at me bit by bit. "...The sooner we get to that treasure the better. We're walking on thin ice. The volleyball teams, the Journalism club and you are all the mercy of that bastard." I replied in a small, but exasperated voice. Ann acted slightly uninterested in our conversation but it was a ploy, she leaned on my desk and eavesdropped on those around us.

 _Kamoshida had ears everywhere it seemed._

"This is just some game to him _—it's frustrating._ " I added on. Ann simply rubbed my shoulders in a weak attempt to comfort me.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Morgana said. His eyes reflected the light beneath the zipper line of Akira's tote. "Akira-kun wanted to talk to you privately."

"...We can talk about it after school, I need you to come with me to _Yongen-Jaya_." Akira coughed nervously before muttering lowly. " _Alone_."

"Ah, might I get an idea as to what you two are up to?" I asked feeling a bit antsy. Wasn't Yongen his new province?

"Secret."

" _That...sounds very reassuring._ " I said.

" _I'll say_ , you aren't plotting something are you Akira-san?" Ann rebutted. My head shot up from the sound of her voice. I had almost forgotten she was there.

Akira shook his head. " _Please trust me. It's nothing bad._ "

"Is it illegal?" I joked. He seemed to stiffen slightly and cleared his throat. Somehow, that sign was not very promising.

" _Secret_."

 _Dammit Akira. What are you up to?_

Ann gave me an incredulous look and raised an eyebrow as he excused himself back to his seat. He was being quite quite vague. "Is he always like that? I had the impression he was super intimidating and cold." She looked unimpressed as she probably scrutinized his appearance. "He's not at all what I thought him to be. _He's just a dork._ " She muttered flatly.

I snickered and avoided to spare a look in his direction. " _He also has terrible luck._ " I added. "He's a great guy, really. It's a shame everyone has it out for him." I voiced earnestly.

"I'm sure he is. It's no wonder he made friends with Ryuji-kun."

" _A pair of dorks_." I said while fighting a smile.

We both shared a small laugh and the school day came to an end shortly after. The four of us grouped together and headed off towards the station. Akira remained ambiguous about what he needed me for and I stopped trying as soon as the subway stopped beneath Shibuya.

"I can pick you up after I finish gatherin' some supplies for our thrip through the Meta-verse tomorrow. Ann needs some equipment and we have to find the right stuff for her." Ryuji saidiu. "Can't have her runnin' around the castle empty handed."

" _Alright._ I can probably text you through Akira-kun's cell when we finish whatever he has planned for us." I said as Ryuji and Ann began to exit the train. The number of students pouring out of the vehicle was insane. My palms began to sweat and wiped them on the hem of my school blazer.

"Sounds good," Ryuji said. He pulled my into a small and brief side hug. " _You let me know if he pulls anything funny okay_?"

I scoffed and tutted in response. "I'm more worried for _Takama_ —I mean Ann-chan than I am about myself. You better behave."

" _Hey!"_ Ryuji squawked. "Who do you take me for Ryo?"

" _A pervert_." I replied flatly beneath my breath. His eyebrow furrowed and I thanked the heavens his fellow —and natural blonde companion pulled him away.

"Ryuji-kun! Let's go! I have to meet with my agent later today. I'm on a tight schedule as it is!" Ann remarked before grabbing my brother by the collar and began to exit the transit station.

Fewer people boarded the train and the numbers of passengers had dwindled considerably. I didn't feel as suffocate as I had been before and thought it wasn't as packed, our trio was still left standing.

"Damn shame. We just left a metropolitan area and I still can't get a seat here." I muttered.

Morgana peeped his head out. Without really thinking about it I took a quick stroke of his head, his fur was soft and shiny. No doubt Akira was taking good care of him. Morgana pawed angrily at my hand and growled. "Don't treat me like some domestic pet!"

" _Quiet Morgana_. The train attendants will hear you." Akira voiced all too casually.

"Do you hate it when people touch you Morgana? I always figured you were messing around when you clawed at us." I voiced before raising an eyebrow at Akira's tote.

"I don't like being patronized. _I am a man..!"_ Morgana answered as he huffed indignantly. Akira shook his head in what appeared to be a form of disapproval.

"Morgana, she meant no harm. It's a just gesture of affection." Akira defended.

" _To a pet maybe —_ but I don't see you touching anyone else's hair. It's still rude if you don't let them know you're about to touch it." The small feline replied.

I paused and sighed. _I hadn't really thought about it that way._ "He has a point… I should have been more aware of that. I'm sorry Morgana, I had no idea."

Akira glanced at me briefly before eyeing over his shoulder within his tote. Morgana peeked his head out from the bag and frowned sadly. "...No, it's fine. I should have let you guys know before hand that It bothered me. Assuming you would all understand was pretty childish of me. You always see me as a cat so I understand you can forget without meaning to."

"I forget at times you're still trying to find out who you are. _A lot like me…_ "

The three of us remained quiet and I realized the tone was headed down a path I didn't mean for to head. "Sorry —I didn't mean to bring it up." Morgana sputtered.

Akira looked uncomfortable but kept from meeting my gaze as we began to turn into the residential he and Morgana were living at.

"Ah, it's fine. _Forget I said anything._ " I murmured sheepishly. "Now isn't the time to mope around." I said cheekily, it probably came out a bit unnaturally high-pitched, but it seemed to work. Either that or they had preferred to use it as a segway to move on to more positive things...or rather more urgent details…"—Akira-kun…? Mind filling me in?" I whispered trying to be as discreet as possible. Before he could answer, Morgana cut him off and relayed the situation.

"The local Pharmaceutical Doctor is rumored for having created her own unique concoctions. _Akira_ has a reason to believe those rumors are true." Morgana replied.

Akira shot his head up and looked surprised. _Odd_. " _You mean "you"_ — _I could have sworn this was your idea.._." He shook his head in a form of disapproval at the small feline.

" _Details_." Morgana said in a dismissive tone.

"This was your idea?" I asked as my interest began to peak. He simply waved me off dismissively.

" _We can pin the blame on Akira when this is over,_ for now, we need your help. Maybe you can convince her to give you the infamous prescription everyone out here talks about." Morgana paused before adding. "I think she might be able to prescribe you something for your memory if it really is true, but we need something to repress the drowsiness and work as a painkiller."

"Morgana will go in with you. He should be able to give you advice when you're in the examination room."

Akira led us into a small and dainty clinic. The space was incredibly small and by the looks of condition of the area…it was clean, but the wear and tear of the many years of practice was visible.

The walls were so thin you could practically hear the filling conversation with a current patient. Morgana quickly scurried into my bag before an older man checked out of the clinic.

The usual social anxiety kicked in and I quietly shuffled towards the Doctor behind the receptionist counter. She had me fill out an application before she saw me.

My experiences with doctor were always positive and though the clinic and it's primary operator was rough around the edges it still gave off a warm and calm vibe.

Before I knew it I was sitting across the fair skinned woman. Her voice of clothing was questionable since she wore black stilettos with a heel high enough to impale a good sized melon and a latex corset underneath her lab coat.

She was as pale as paper and she had the look of a gothic model. From what I gathered on her medical I.D tag her name was _Tae, Takemi_.

She gave me the basic run of the mill examination and asked me the big question.

"Why are you here today Miss Sakamoto?" She voiced in a hollow tone.

Morgana spoke softly to keep from drawing attention to himself. "We need sleep suppressors and painkillers...create a situation that would call for them."

"My family is a low income home, I need to work in order to help provide for them. My medication, my financial situation and my studies burden me. I need a sleep suppressor that won't agitate my heart like the way that caffeine does."

She stayed quiet but her fingers typed in chaotic rhythm.

"—I understand you suffer from _Retrograde Amnesia._ How is the medication your primary doctor prescribed you."

"It's fine, they're just meant to work as painkillers and are supposed to prevent seizures." I replied.

"Did you bring them with you?" She asked as she behind her computer and typed furiously.

I hadn't even known we'd be stopping by, but I had remembered the names of my medication by then.

"If it's also possible...I'd like for pain medication that won't burn a hole through my liver." I joked. A small stifled chuckle reverberated from the opposite wall and I smiled slightly.

"I'm a Doctor not a miracle worker." She shook her head in disbelief. She grabbed a clipboard and flirted through the sheets with finesse. "I can prescribe you something to stimulate the neurons in your system to help with studies and something else to vitalise your liver."

" _M-my liver?_ " I sputtered.

"Yes, your liver has a lot to do with your metabolism. It's what breaks down fat and produces energy you need for the day."

"Will it be okay to take with medication?" I asked. My concern was trying to make sure this type of medication would be risky to share…

"If you're willing to take your chances I can perform a few tests and come up with an alternative to the latter." She offered.

I honestly had to weigh my chances right now. Should I gamble with my health so precariously? Would it ultimately be a life-saver in the Meta-verse? Would Ryuji kill our leader if he found out he and Morgana brought me here?

 _Probably._

"Is it going to hurt?" I asked her in a nervous tone.

She looked away and a cold smile warped on her face. " _Terribly so._ " I sincerely hoped she was being sarcastic, but her tone remained passive and level.

"...Crap."

 _Boys, what on earth did you get me into?_


End file.
